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THE 


HISTORY 


O  F 


EOXBURY  TOWN. 


BY  CHARLES  M.  ELLIS. 


CHICAGO, 

Froeiil*J[)(iPS[S«^y  H.  Su 

BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED  BY  SAMUEL  G.  DRAKE. 

1847. 


W^ 


3. 


Wi 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1847, 

By  Charles  M.  Ellis, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Massachusetts. 


'3  iiAi-tl 


H.  Mann,  Printer,  Dedham,  Mass. 


■J^M' 


PART  I. 


THE    EARLY    HISTORY    OF     THE    TOWN 


NOTICE. 

Another  volume  will  complete  the  history  of  the  Town,  down 
to  the  date  of  the  City  Charter.  The  object  has  been,  in  this,  to 
give  the  Early  History.  But  no  distinct  line  of  division  can  be 
drawn.  Much  matter  has  necessarily  been  reserved  for  the  ap- 
pendix which  will  be  added  to  the  second  part.  The  plan  of  the 
work  has  been,  in  order  to  secure  for  it  the  only  merits  such  an 
one  can  ever  have,  accuracy  and  completeness.  The  materials 
that  exist  for  gaining  these  ends  are  so  much  scattered,  they  are 
so  often  found  where  no  one  could  have  supposed  they  existed, 
that  no  diligence  could  ferret  them  out ;  but  they  are  glad- 
ly furnished  when  it  is  known  that  use  can  be  made  of  them. 
Since  the  last  pages  of  the  manuscript  were  sent  to  press,  I 
have  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  several  valuable  communica- 
tions. Any  such  is  a  great  favor.  It  is  my  hope  that  all  who 
can  procure  me  access  to  materials  that  will  aid  in  completing  or 
correcting  the  account  of  the  Town,  will  do  so,  so  that  the  ends 
of  this  work  will  be  secured. 

C.  M.  ELLIS. 
January  8,  1S4S. 


HISTORY  OF  ROXBURY, 


CHAPTER  I. 

Introduction.— Sources  of  the  History  of  the  Town. 

The  object  of  a  town  history  is  to  gather  up  and 
record  family,  local,  village  details.  Part  are  those  of 
every  day  life.  Part  belong  to  general  history,  but 
are  so  minute  or  multitudinous  as  to  escape  its  grasp. 
Yet  all  history  is  made  up  of  these,  and  each,  and  the 
group  of  each  town,  may  illustrate  it,  as  the  life  of 
each  man  will  give  some  insight  into  the  spirit  of  his 
time.  There  is  an  interest  attached  to  these  accounts 
of  small  places,  of  the  same  sort  as  that  which  is  ex- 
cited by  the  biography  of  an  individual.  We  like  to 
know  the  motives,  reasons  and  method  of  a  man's  ac- 
tion, as  every  child  wishes  to  see  a  watch  opened. 
In  general  men  care  less  for  the  result,  however  great, 
than  for  the  petty  moving  causes  in  operation.  And 
the  idea  that  each  man  is  a  wheel  in  the  great  ma- 
chine, weighs  more  with  men  than  they  think.  But, 
after  all,  the  chief  interest  attached  to  these  matters 
is  of  a  very  different  sort,  and,  if  this  were  the  place. 


6  HI  SI  OR  Y     OF    KOXBl  IIY.  [PaRT   I. 

it  might  be  shown  to  be  somewhat  rational  and  not 
altogctlier  useless,  apart  from  all  historical  s])ecula- 
tion.  We  love  to  know  the  origin  of  those  we  spring 
from,  what  they  did,  how  they  dressed,  labored  and 
worshipped.  Most  men  have  local  attachment  so 
strong  that  it  invests  some  spot,  endeared  by  associa- 
tion, with  controlling  interest.  The  old  church,  the 
old  homestead,  the  old  school,  or  something  of  the 
sort,  bring  back  dear  recollections  to  every  man,  and 
he  will  find  pleasure  in  all  that  relates  thereto. 

I  have  endeavored  to  collect  here  such  facts  as  may 
gratify  these  natural  feelings,  and  such  as  may  illus- 
trate history,  without  pretending  to  assume  its  digni- 
ty, or  be  more  than  the  incidents  in  the  life  of  a  little 
town. 

There  is  in  the  town,  in  the  records  and  papers  of 
the  town,  church  and  school,  much  new  matter,  though 
they  are  very  meagre  in  many  respects.  The  Town 
Records  for  the  first  few  years  are  imperfect.  They 
begin  with  a  half  obliterated  and  worn  out  memoran- 
dum of  four  lines,  about  the  garrison,  of  a  date  seven- 
teen years  after  the  settlement,  (1647.)  Then  fol- 
lows a  memorandum  of  the  choice  of  the  Captain, 
Lieut,  and  three  brethren  to  "  order  town  affiiirs," 
and  an  order  for  an  allotment  of  lands  and  salaries 
without  any  date — then  a  vote  appointing  a  commit- 
tee to  repair  the  church  and  also  assessors,  then  a 
vote  conferring  powers  somewhat  plenary,  viz  :  that 
"  these  men  shall  have  for  ye  present  year,  full  power 
to  make  and  execute  such  orders  as  they  in  their  ap- 
prehension shall  think  to  be  conducive  to  the  good  of 
the  town" — then  a   much  mutilated  page  about  dig- 


Part  I.]  hfstory  ov  roxiu'rv.  7 

giiig  "rocks"  and  stones  out  of"  the  highway — ilien  a 
meeting  at  brother  Johnsons,  about  the  Synod's  act — 
then  some  old  scraps  from  the  fire  act  laying  a  fine  of 
8  and  12  pence  on  such  as  have  not  ladders  to  give 
ready  passage  to  the  tops  of  the  houses  in  case  of  fire. 
These  are  all,  down  to  the  year  1652. 

From  that  time  the  records  have  been  regularly 
kept.  The  earlier  ones  however  are  meagre  and  im- 
perfect. The  earliest  have  no  attestation.  Then 
down  to  1666,  they  are  attested  by  the  five  men.  In 
1666  a  Town  clerk  was  first  chosen,  but  he  merely 
wrote  the  records  without  attesting  them.  The  first 
signature  by  the  clerk  is  that  of  Edward  Dorr  in 
1717. 

There  is  a  tradition  that  the  old  records  of  the 
town  were  a  long  while  ago  burned  up,  or  else  de- 
stroyed in  the  revolution.  The  dates  have  got  a  lit- 
tle confused.  But  so  it  is  that  in  the  lapse  of  few 
generations,  it  has  become  uncertain  whether  this 
event  was  seventy  years  or  two  centuries  ago.  One 
tradition  is  that  the  first  records  of  the  town  were 
burnt  when  the  second  meeting  house  was  burnt 
down.  Men  expressed  a  doubt,  in  speaking  of  it, 
whether  they  were  ever  destroyed.  But  I  think  it 
quite  certain  that  the  earliest  records  were  destroyed 
by  fire,  in  1645. 

Under  the  date  of  1652  there  is  entry  which  can 
be  partially  decyphered  although  the  edges  are  gone. 

"The  tovvne  booke  wherein  most  mens  lands  being  wrote 

Gods  providence  being  burned  thereby  much  dammedg  may 

10 all  men,  to  prevent  dammedg  as  aforesayd 

dered  by  the  town  of  Roxbury  that  there  shall  be  five 


8  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

be  chosen  to  do  iheiv  best  in  order  to  set  down 


land  given  them  by  the  town  or  that  may  belong 

thence  other  ways  to  make  returne  unto  ye  towne 

three   month,  as  far  as  this  may  be  accomplished   for  the 

of  dammedg  as  aforesayd  &  alsoe   to  record  hie  ways  and 

other  town  privileges.     17  of  11  no  1652." 

The  Transcript,  as  it  is  called,  was  finished  and 
certified  in  1654. 

In  Eliot's  petition  to  the  General  Court  June  20, 
1669,  for  a  renewal  and  confirmation  of  the  school 
charter,  it  is  recited  that  "our  first  book  and  charter 
were  burned  in  ye  burning  of  John  Johnsons  house 
and  by  reason  of  the  death  of  sundry  of  the  donors 
and  the  alienation  of  the  tenements  we  are  under 
this  defect  that  some  of  the  names  of  the  donors  are 
not  unto  this  2d  book  personally  which  were  to  the 

first." 

The  second  book  and  agreement  are  still  preserved 
and  bear  date  "the  last  of  August  1645." 

In  John  Eliot's  diary  [which  will  be  referred  to]  is 
this  record,  viz : 

"1645.  Toward  ye  end  of  ye  1st  month  (called 
March)  there  happened,  by  God's  providence  a  very 
dreadful  fire  in  Roxbury  streete.  None  knoweth  how 
it  was  kindled,  but  being  a  fierce  wind  it  suddenly- 
prevailed.  And  in  this  man's  house  was  a  good  part 
of  ye  county  magazine  of  powder  of  17  or  18  bar- 
rels which  made  ye  people  that  none  durst  come  to 
save  ye  house  or  goods  till  it  was  blown  up  &  by  that 
time  ye  fire  had  taken  ye  barns  &  outhouses  (which 
were  many  &  great)  so  that  none  were  saved.  In 
this  fire  were  strong  observations  of  God's  provi- 
dence, to  ye  neighbours  and  towne,   for  ye  wind  at 


Part  1.]  history  of  roxbury.  9 

first  stood  to  carry  ye  fire  to  other  howses  but  sud- 
denly turned  it  from  all  other  howses  only  carrying  it 
to  ye  out  houses  &  barns  thereby. 

And  it  was  a  fierce  wind  &.  thereby  drave  ye  ele- 
ment back  from  ye  neighbors  howses  which  in  a 
calm  time  would,  by  ye  great  heate  have  been  set  on 
fire. 

But  above  all  ye  preservation  of  all  people  from 
hurt  &  other  howses  from  fire  at  ye  blowing  up  of  ye 
powder,  many  living'  in  great  danger  yet  none  hurt  & 
sundry  howses  set  on  fire  by  ye  blow,  but  all 
quenched,  thro  God's  mercy  in  christ." 

Considering  therefore  that  the  early  records  were 
all  kept  for  one  body,  that  those  of  the  school,  and 
those  having  the  records  of  lands  were  both  burned 
and  that  the  Town  Records  prior  to  the  time  of  this 
fire  are  not  in  existence,  there  can  be  little  doubt 
that  they  were  also  burnt  up.  Probably  the  "old 
Towne  Booke"  named  in  the  note  respecting  the 
Transcript,  contained  the  whole  respecting  titles,  the 
schoole  and  the  towne,  and  the  petition  some  twenty 
years  after  the  fire  was  caused  by  some  question 
arising  respecting  the  charter  or  the  agreement  of 
the  school. 

The  ''^Ancient  Transcript^''  is  an  ancient  book 
which  contains  a  list  of  the  lands  owned  by  the  re- 
spective inhabitants.  This  record  is  of  great  value  in 
tracing  the  titles  of  individuals.  The  present  book 
is  probably  not  the  first  but  a  copy  made  about  1666 
to  1670  by  Goodman  Denison. 

At  the  end  of  this  volume  is  w^hat  appears  to  have 
been  part  of  another  older  book  bound  up  with  it,  in 


10  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT    1. 

which  is  a  memorandum  that  it  was  "bought  in  1639 
&  paid  for  by  Vote  of  Town,  fower  shillings  for  entry 
therein  of  weighty  business." 

I  discovered  one  loose  leaf  in  this  volume,  of  great 
interest.  A  particular  account  of  this  leaf  will  be 
given  in  another  connection.  The  Town  Register 
of  birtlis,  marriages  and  deaths,  seems  to  have  been 
copied  up  to  1654  in  one  hand.  Very  likely  by  Mr. 
Dudley.  From  1690  to  1706,  entries  have  also  been 
copied  into  this  volume  from  small  paper  books  kept 
by  the  clerk. 

There  is  a  volume  kept  by  the  clergyman  of  the 
first  church  which,  in  its  strange  medley,  has  records 
of  interest.  It  has  often  been  referred  to.  It  is  val- 
uable for  its  records  of  matters  belonging  to  town 
and  family  histories.  It  contains  a  receipt  for  making 
ink— an  anagram  on  Mrs.  Tomson— Harvard  memo- 
rial—laws as  to  fashions,  particularly  the  long  hair 
which  was  an  abomination  to  round  heads— certain 
propositions  concerning  church  membership,  baptism, 
&c.— a  list  of  church  members  from  the  formation  of 
the  church  to  1775— a  record  of  the  baptisms  and 
deaths   from  16U  to   1750— a  diary  from   1642  to 

1677 a  record  of   the   pastors  of  the  church,   and 

some  parish  votes  and  donations. 

The  list  of  church  members  seems  to  have  been 
made  sometime  after  the  formation  of  tiie  church.  I 
should  judge  not  far  from  1650.  Besides  the  dates, 
this  record  contains  f^icts  concerning  the  families  of 
the  first  settlers  and  in  many  instances  accounts  of 
their  characters. 

It  is  said  that  all  the  ancient  records  were  burned, 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  1 1 

and  that  the  inhabitants  afterwards  came  together 
and  gave  in  an  account  of  their  families,  the  births, 
marriages  and  deatlis,  as  fully  as  they  could,  and 
handed  in  the  description  of  their  lands  for  the  Tran- 
script. The  absence  of  any  books  prior  to  the  date 
of  the  fire,  and  the  mode  in  which  the  oldest  records 
are  made  up  confirm  the  tradition.  A  gentleman  of 
Roxbury,  distinguished  for  his  antiquarian  tastes,  re- 
members to  have  read  this  account  in  an  anniversary 
sermon  preached  by  the  first  Mr.  Walter,  who  must 
•have  known  many  of  the  first  settlers.  I  have  not 
been  able  to  find  any  copy  of  this  sermon. 

The  diary  notes  the  chief  events  of  the  day,  very 
much  after  the  style  of  the  remarkable  events  in 
some  of  our  almanacs.  Some  of  it  is  trifling,  but  it 
is  valuable  for  verifying  dates,  and  chiefly  so  as  illus- 
trating the  character  of  John  Eliot. 

The  records  of  the  several  later  parishes  and  of 
the  schools  contain  much  that  is  interesting. 

Besides  the  various  records  there  are  many  old  pa- 
pers still  preserved  by  members  of  the  older  families 
of  the  town,  deeds,  wills,  letters  and  documents  of 
one  sort  and  another.  Most  of  these  have  been 
found  in  old  chests  in  the  midst  of  garret  dust  and 
lumber.  No  doubt  many  such  have  been  destroyed 
as  cumbersome  rubbish.  Few  care  for  these  me- 
mentos of  early  days.  But  some  preserve  them,  and 
I  am  indebted  to  many  for  rendering  me  valuable  fa- 
cilities from  such  materials  for  this  w^ork.  I  am 
especially  indebted  to  a  few,  who  take  an  interest  in 
such  matters,  and  who  have  raked,  out  of  these  old 
lieaps,  things  worth  preserving. 


CHAPTER  II. 

The  first    Settlement. 

The  first  settlement  of  Roxbury  was  in  1630.  It 
is  possible  that  some  straggling  pioneers  of  the  whites 
may  have  been  here  before.  There  is  no  record  of 
any  known.  The  fact  that  the  emigrants  of  1630, 
on  their  arrival^  found  settlers  scattered  about  the 
bay,  "some  at  Dorchester  and  some  on  the  other  side 
of  the  River  Charles,"  that  some  spots  in  Roxbury 
would  be  likely  to  be  chosen  quite  as  soon  as  the 
spots  that  are  known  to  have  been  inhabited  hy 
whites,  and  that  the  colonists  would  not  have  been 
likely  to  try  to  prepare  for  their  first  winter  in  a  spot 
where  there  was  no  sign  of  a  hut  or  clearing,  this 
alone  leads  me  to  say  it  is  possible  that  there  may 
have  been  some  squatters  here  before  them.  The 
town  dates,  however,  from  1630.  Most  of  its  settlers 
arrived  within  a  few  years  from  that  time.  The  first 
came  from  England  with  Winthrop  with  those  who 
came  over  when  the  Massachusetts  charter  was 
brought  over,  and  a  home  trading  company  formed 
into  a  foreign  provincial  government.  Some  of  them 
were  signers  of  the  Cambridge  agreement  of  August 
26,  1629.     That  simple  writing  imported  more  than 


Part  I.]  iiistokv  of  roxburv.  13 

they  dreamed,  and  may  now   illustrate   their  charac- 


ter. 


"Upon  due  consideration  of  the  state  of  the  Plantation  now  in 
hand  for  New  England,  wherein  we,  whose  names  are  hereunto 
subscribed,   have  engaged    ourselves,   and  having   weighed    the 
greatness  of  the  work  in  regard  of  the  consequence,  God's  glory 
and   the  Church's  good,  as  also  in  regard  of  the  difficulties  and 
discouragements  which  in  all  probabilities  must  be  forecast  upon 
the   prosecution  of  this   business  ;  considering   withal,   that   this 
whole  adventure  grows   upon   the  joint  confidence  we   have   in 
each  other's  fidelity  and  resolution   herein ,  so  as  no  man  of  us 
would  have  adventured  without  assurance  of  the  rest;  now  for 
the  better  encouragement  of  ourselves  and  others  that  shall  join 
with  us  in  this  action,  and  to  the  end  that  every  man  may  with- 
out scruple  dispose  of  his  estate  and  affairs  as  may  best  fit  his 
preparation   for   this  voyage;    it   is   fully   and    faithfully   agreed 
amongst   us,   and   every  of  us   doth   hereby  freely  and  sincerely 
promise  and  bind  himself,  on  the  word  of  a  christian,  and  in  the 
presence  of  God,  who  is  the  searcher  of  all   hearts,  that  we  will 
so  really  endeavour  the   prosecution  of  this   work,  as  by  God's 
assistance,  we  wilj  be  ready  in  our  persons,  and  with  such  of  our 
several  families  as  are  to  go  with  us,  and  such  provision  as  we 
are  able  conveniently  to  furnish  ourselves  withal,  to  embark   for 
the  said  plantation   by  the  first  of  March  next,  at  such  port  or 
ports  of  this  land  as  shall   be  agreed  upon  by  the  Company,  to 
the  end   to  pass  the  seas  (under  God's  protection)  to  inhabit  and 
continue  in  New  England  :     Provided   always,  that  before  the 
last  of  September  next,  the  whole  government,  together  with  the 
patent  for  the  said  plantation,  be  first,  by  an  order  of  Court,  le- 
gally transferred  and  established  to  remain  with  us  and  others 
which  shall  inhabit  upon  the  said  Plantation,  and  provided  also, 
that  if  any  shall  be  hindered  by  any  such  just  and  inevitable  let 
or  other  cause,  to  be  allowed   by  three  parts  of  four  of  these 
whose  names  are  hereunto  subscribed,   then  such  persons,  for 
such  times,  and  during  such  lets  to  be  discharged  from  this  bond. 
And  we  do  further  promise,  every  one  for  himself,  that  shall  fail 
to  be  ready  through  his  own  default  by  the  day  appointed,  to  pay 


14  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

for  every  day's   default  the  suin  of  £3,  to  the  use  of  the  rest  of 
the  company  who  shall  be  ready  by  the  same  day  and  lime. 
This  was  done  by  order  of  Court,  the  29lh  of  August,  1629. 
Richard  Sallonstall,  Thomas  Sharpe, 

Thomas  Dudley,  Increase  Nowell, 

William  Vassal),  John  Winlhrop, 

Nicholas  West,  William  Pinchon, 

Isaac  Johnson,  Kelhim  Browne, 

John  Humfrey,  William  Colbron. 

The  exact  date  of  the  arrival  of  the  first  settlers  of 
Roxbury  is  not  known.     A   large  number  of  vessels 
came  out  in  1630.     The  first  arrived  in  May,  and  the 
arrivals  continued  till  the  fall  of  the  year.     The  trials 
of  that  season  fell  heavy.     "  We  found  the  colony  in 
a  sad  and  unexpected  condition,"  says  Thomas  Dud- 
ley,   "  above   eighty  of  them  being  dead  the  winter 
before  ;  and  many  of  those  alive  weak  and  sick ;  all 
the  corn  and  bread  amongSt  them  all  hardly  sufficient 
to  feed  them  a  fortnight."    Contagious  diseases  seized 
on  the  emigrants  on   their  voyage  that  year.     When 
they  arrived  they  were  feeble,  sick  and  dying  daily  of 
fevers  and  the  scurvy.     The  exposure  and  hardships 
they  were  forced  to  endure  after  landing  only   multi- 
plied their  affliction.     They  were  so  weak  that  they 
could  not  carry  their  baggage  to  the  place  where  they 
meant  to  build  a  fort  and  settle  together.     Having  no 
time  to  deliberate,  being  forced  to  provide  some  shel- 
ter before  the  winter  should  surprise  them,   they  dis- 
persed themselves  in   small   bands  about  the  bay,  to 
shift  as  best  they  might.     One  of  these  bands,  whose 
head  is  said  to  have  been  W  illiam  Pynchon  chose  a 
place  midway  between   Dorchester  and  Boston,  for 
their  habitation,  a  spot  two  miles  from  Boston,  which 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbirv.  15 

tliev  named  Rocksbur};  and  Rocksburie,  or  Rocks- 
brough,  Roxbury.  This  was  the  origin  of  the  town. 
Jt  was  probably  in  June  1630.  The  first  birtli  re- 
corded is  July  10,  1630,  John  Crafts,  son  of  Griffin 
Crafts. 

William  Pynchon  is  often  spoken  of  as  the  founder 
of  the  town.  He  was  one  of  the  most  influential 
men,  and  happened  to  be  named  first  in  the  records 
of  the  members  of  the  first  church.  But  I  see  no 
reason  why  he  should  be  called  the  founder  of  the 
place.  In  the  records  he  is  styled  "one  of  the  first 
foundation."  There  were  many  of  as  much  weight 
as  he,  whether  we  regard  wealth,  character,  author- 
ity,or  energy  in  the  prosecution  of  the  enterprise. 

Besides  Pynchon  we  know  from  the  church  records 
that  Thomas  Lambe,  Robert  Cole,  William  Chase, 
George  Alcock,  Mr.  Francis  Pynchon,  and  Thomas 
Rawlings  were  amongst  those  who  came  here  in 
1630,  that,  in  1631,  there  arrived  Thomas  Wakeman, 
John  Carman,  John  Eliot,  Valentine  Prentice,  Rich- 
ard Lyman ; — 

In  1632,  John  Leavins,  Margery  Hammond,  Mar- 
garet Denison,  Wm.  Heath,  Robert  Gamlin,  Thomas 
Woodforde,  William  Curtis,  Ann  Shelly,  Rebecca 
Short,  Mary  Blatt,  Wm.  Hills,  Robert  Gamlin  jr. — 

In  1633,  John  Moody,  Nicholas  Parker,  Philip 
Sherman,  Thomas  Willson,  Joshua  Hues,  Thomas 
Hills,  John  Graves,  Elizabeth  Hinds,  Elizabeth  Bal- 
lard, Margaret  Huntingdon  ; — 

In  1634,  John  Stow,   Abraham  Newell; — 

In  1635,  John  Ruggles,   John  Cheney; — 


16  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

Ill  1636,  Edward  Porter,  William  Vassaile,  John 
Roberts  ; — 

In  1637,  Thomas  Ruggles,  William  Chandler,  Jo- 
seph Astwood. 

There  is  "  A  Recorde  of  such  as  adjoyned  them- 
selves unto  the  fellowship  of  this  Church  of  Christ  at 
Roxborough ;  as  also  of  such  children  as  they  had 
when  they  joyned  and  of  such  as  were  borne  unto 
them  under  the  holy  covenant  of  this  church,  who  are 
most  properly  the  seede  of  this  Church." 

This  record,  from  the  beginning  till  1650  has  the 
names  of  301  members,  the  number  of  their  children 
not  being  included.  Most  of  the  names  have  no  date 
and  the  time  of  their  arrival  cannot  be  fixed. 

From  the  interesting  gleanings  of  Mr.  Savage,  we 
learn  that  the  records  in  England  give  the  names  of 
some  who  "  imbarqued  "  in  the  Hopewell,  Master 
Wm.  Burdick,  in  April  1635,  viz.  John  Astwood, 
husbandman,  aged  26 — Jo.  Ruggles,  10 — Jo.  Rug- 
gles, shoemaker,  44 — Barbaric  Ruggles,  uxor,  30 — 
Jo.  Ruggles,  2 — Elizabeth  Elliott,  8 — Giles  Payson, 
26 — Isaac  Morris,  9— Jo.  Bell,  13— Lawrence  Whit- 
temore,  63 — Elizabeth  Whittemore,  57 — Isaac  Dis- 
brough,  18— Elizabeth  Elliott,  30— Phillip  Elliott,  2. 
April  29th,  in  the  Elizabeth  &  Ann,  was  Richard 
Goare,  17. 

June  17,  in  the  Abigail,  came  Richard  Graves,  23. 

In  the  Blessing,  William  Vassall,  42,  Margaret 
Vassall. 

In  the  James,  in  July,  John  Johnson,  26. 

In  the  Hopewell,  Sep.  11,    Isack  Heath,  harness- 


Part  I.]  ihstorv  of  roxhiirv.  17 

maker,  50 — Elizabeth  Heath,  40 — Wm.  Lyon,  14 — 
Thos.  Bull,  25— [r  if  not  Bell.] 

The  dates  of  the  arrivals  for  the  first  few  years  as 
given  in  the  church  book  are  very  imperfect.  There 
are  many  births  recorded  which  show  that  various 
families  arrived  here  which  are  not  noticed.  But  1 
cannot  follow  them  out  here. 

In  the  Ancient  Transcript,  there  is  a  loose  leaf, 
somewhat  worn  and  obscure,  but  in  tolerable  preser- 
vation, written  about  the  year  1639,  at  any  rate,  be- 
tween 1638  and  1640,  as  appear  from  the  names  and 
hand  writing.  Being,  by  nearly  ten  years  the  oldest 
record  in  the  Town  Books,  and  containing  an  accu- 
rate and,  no  doubt,  comj)lete  list  of  the  inhabitants, 
it  is  here  copied.  It  was  after  1638  because  James 
Astwood  came  then  ;  and  before  1640  because  George 
Alcock  died  then. 


"A  note  of  ye 

estates  and  persons  of  y 

2  in 

habitants  of  Roj 

bury 

Acres. 

Persons. 

Estate. 

3 

0       0 

Edward  Pason 

1 

6 

2      0 

John  Tatman 

2 

6 

0       0 

7 

Obscure. 

John  Stonnard 

2 

Obscure. 

6 

>t 

Martin   Stebbins 

2 

11 

7 

(( 

Giles  Pason 

2 

10 

93     04 

6 

2      0 

Lawrence  Whittemore 

2 

2 

06    OS 

10 

Obscure. 

Richard  Peacock 

3 

S 

00    00 

4 

0       0 

Edward  Bugby 

3 

17 

0    00 

11 

Obsciire. 

John  Levins 

3 

17 

0     00 

Obs. 

2      0 

Edwn.  Anderson 

3 

01 

00     00 

10 

00     00 

Christopher  Peake 

3 

OG 

OS    00 

5 

02     00 

John  Kuggles 

2 

4 

13     00 

12 

02    00 

Richard  Pepper 

4 

3 

00     00 

12 

Obsrvre. 

Eilwavd  Rigq-es 

4 

Obsrvre. 

18 


HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY. 


[Part  L 


13 

Obsaire. 

William  Webb 

4 

o 

Obscure. 

13 

Edward  Bridge 

4 

2 

K 

22 

Thomas  Ruggles 

4 

1 

15    00 

14 

Eobert  Seaver 

4 

17 

06    00 

12 

Thomas  Griggs 

4 

00 

00    00 

12 

John  Hall 

4 

Obscure. 

12 

John  Trumble 

(1 

17 

2 

John  Barvvell 

5 

17 

10     04 

15 

(.1 

Abraham  How 

5 

01 

00      " 

15 

(C 

John  Mathevv 

5 

01 

00    00 

15 

2 

0 

John  Bowles 

5 

07 

10     00 

15 

2 

0 

Isaac  Johnson 

5 

02 

00    00 

16 

2 

0 

Ralph  Hemingway 

5 

9 

14    08 

15 

Obscure. 

John  Curteis 

5 

00 

00    00 

15 

Arthur  Gary 

5 

02 

Obscure. 

18 

Thomas  Waterman 

6 

01 

16     08 

20 

Thomas  Pigge 

6 

17 

00     00 

20 

Samuel  Finch 

5 

14 

22 

Widow  Hugbone 

7 

06 

12 

Abraham  Newell 

7 

07 

22 

Wm,  Chandler 

7 

06 

21 

2 

Robert  Gamblin 

7 

03 

21 

John  Perry 

7 

Obscure. 

21 

Abraham  Smith 

7 

t( 

24 

2 

John  Petlil 

8 

(( 

24 

2 

William  Cheney 

8 

t( 

24 

Samuel  Chapin 

8 

:( 

25 

2 

William  Perkins 

8 

t( 

25 

Robert  Williams 

8 

t( 

26 

John  Evans 

8 

(( 

27 

2 

Daniel  Brewer 

9 

(( 

28 

James  Astwood 

9 

(( 

27 

Edward  Porter 

9 

(( 

28 

2 

John  Miller 

9 

{( 

27 

John  Roberts 

9 

i( 

30 

Griffin  Crafts 

10 

t( 

37 

John  Watson 

12 

<t 

37 

Thomas  Lamb 

12 

(t 

»ART   1.] 

HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY. 

19 

39 

John  Eliot 

13 

Obscure. 

39 

William  Curtiss 

13 

It 

Obscure 00  acres. 

Obscure. 

Thomas  Bell 

12 

18 

02 

00 

(i 

George  Holmes 

13 

10 

00 

00 

II 

Samuel  Hugborne 

14 

17 

00 

00 

SI      0      0 

William  Park 

15 

1 

10 

00 

John  Johnson 

15 

12 

06 

08 

lOS 

John  Gore 

15 

16 

00 

00 

204 

Isaac  Morell 

17 

00 

00 

00 

242 

George  Alcock 

20 

3 

00 

00 

256 

Elder  Heath 

21 

18 

03 

04 

255 

John  Stow 

21 

02 

17 

04 

267 

William  Dennison 

24 

07 

06 

08 

298 

Joseph  Weld 

23 

03 

15 

00 

2S8 

Joshua  Hewes 

24 

00 

00 

00 

303 

Philip  Eliot 

25 

07 

13 

04 

333 

Mr. 

,  Thomas  Weld 

26 

01 

43 

00 

355 

Mr. 

.  Thomas  Dudley 

26 

10 

00 

00" 

Upon  the  other  side  of  the  foregoing  list  is  the  following  : 
'Obscure 


"Wm.  Eliot  8  goats  Skidds    Elder  12goats  7kidd3 

John  Johnson  6  goats  4  kidds    Wm.  Dennison  2     "      3     " 

Isaac  Morell  4  goats  3  kidds   John  Stow  20     "       8     " 

Mr,  Sheafe  14    do.  10  kidds    John  Levins  8     "       8     " 

Edward  Bugbee  6  goats  7  kidds   Thomas  Waterman  7  goats  obscure 

John  Bugby  2  goats  2  kidds   Thomas  Freeman  3  

Edward  Sheffield  2  goats  1  kidd     Richard  Peacock       1  " 

William  Chandler  1     "       1     "        Dorithy  1  1  kidd 

We,  whose  names  are  under  written,  have  appointed  John 
Burnell,  to  give  \2d.  appeace  for  goats  &  kidds  out  of  which  we 
did  appoint  him  to  pay  Goodwife  Burt  for  her  boy  ye  full  tyme 
that  bee  ded  keepe  the  goals, 

Isaac  Heath 
John  Slow." 


20  HISTORY    Ol-    ROXBORY.  [PaRT  I. 

There  are  tew  of  the  families  of  the  town,  except 
the  recent  comers,  who  do  not  trace  their  descent 
from  some  of  those  whose  names  are  here  recorded. 
It  has  been  remarked  that  no  people  can  boast  of 
more  honorable  descent  than  those  of  Massachusetts, 
and  it  is  also  recorded  that  "  the  Roxbury  people 
were  of  the  best  that  came." 

The  first  year  was  one  of  severe  toil,  and  hardship, 
and  affliction  almost  unmitigated.  Those  who  were 
alive  at  the  end  of  the  first  summer  were  worn  out 
when  winter  set  in,  either  with  disease  or  with  the 
fatigue  of  making  the  first  clearing  and  a  hut  for  shel- 
ter. Food  was  scarce.  The  cold  was  intense.  Dud- 
ley, one  of  the  first  and  richest  men  in  the  Bay,  had 
no  table,  and  but  a  single  room,  and  there  he  wrote 
to  the  countess  of  Lincoln  the  letter  that  is  preserved, 
*'on  his  knee  in  that  sharp  winter,"  with  his  family 
pressing  to  the  fireside  about  him.  Mrs.  Alcock  and 
Mrs.  Pynchon  died.  They  could,  indeed,  "  almost 
say  there  was  not  a  house  where  there  was  not  one 
dead,  and  in  some  houses  many."  They  held  many 
fasts.  It  was  a  time  of  gloom.  They  did  "  enjoy 
little  to  be  envied,  but  endured  much  to  be  pitied." 
But  they  came  not  to  plant  "  for  worldly  ends"  but 
"for  spiritual."  They  did  not  repine.  It  was  fortu- 
nate indeed  for  the  Roxbury  settlement  that  they 
were  "  not  of  the  poorer  sort."  But  nothing  could 
save  them  from  the  hardships  of  the  first  season. 

And  to  add  to  these,  they  were  in  constant  danger 
from  the  natives.  The  position  ot  the  first  settlement 
seems  to  have  been  chosen  with  a  view  to  defence. 
Charges  are  frequently  met  with  in  the  town  records, 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  21 

for  the  first  i\nv  years,  of  sums  paid  for  driving  away 
Indians. 

Roxbury  was  thought  of  the  first  year  as  a  fit  place 
to  build  a  town.  December  6th,  1630,  the  governor 
and  assistants  met  there  and  agreed  to  build  a  town 
fortified  on  the  neck  between  there  and  Boston,  and 
they  appointed  a  committee  to  make  the  necessary 
arrangements.  But  when  the  committee  met  there 
eight  days  later,  they  concluded  not  to  build  and  ono 
reason  was  that  "  there  was  no  running  waters  and 
if  there  were  any  springs  they  would  not  suffice 
the  town."  They  considered  also  that  most  had  al- 
ready built  and  if  they  settled  here  they  would  be 
forced  to  keep  two  families. 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  First  Church  in  Roxbury. 

The  religious  concerns  of  the  people,  were,  of 
course,  the  first  in  importance.  They  had  left  the 
comforts  of  home,  and  chosen  to  risk  life  for  their  re- 
ligious liberty.  The  first  act  of  the  emigrants  on  ar- 
riving in  this  country  was  the  organization  of  a  church. 
The  chief  bond  of  the  people  was,  for  a  long  time, 
their  religious  association.  The  first  thought  of  each 
town  was  for  the  support  of  religious  worship.  In 
most  towns  the  formation  of  a  church  and  a  town 
government  were  simultaneous,  if  not  identical.  It 
was  probably  because  of  the  hardships  of  the  Roxbury 
people  that  such  was  not  the  case  here.  But,  for  the 
first  two  years  they  had  no  church  of  their  own. 
They  were  assessed  for  the  support  of  the  church 
at  Charlestown.  They  joined  themselves  to  the 
church  at  Dorchester,  "  until  such  time  as  God  shall 
give  them  an  opportunity  to  be  a  church  amongst 
themselves,"  in  the  same  way  as  the  Muddy  River 
(Brookline)  people  were,  for  many  years,  joined  to 
their  own. 

The  first  church  was  gathered  in  1632,  in  July. 
Thomas  Welde  was  then  "chosen  and  invested  with 
the  pastoral  care." 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxhury.  23 

Jolin  Eliot,  now  kno^vn  as  the  apostle  became  their 
teacher  in  November  of  the  same  jear. 

The  first  church,  and  all  that  was  connected  with 
it,  was  to  the  people,  the  object  of  love  and  affection. 
They  were  so  identified  with  it,  that  it  would  be  un- 
pardonable to  omit  some  details  which  might,  other- 
wise, seem  trifling.  Its  complete  history  for  a  hun- 
dred years,  would  be   the  history  of  the  town. 

A  meeting  house  was  built  very  early.  The  exact 
date  is  not  known.  But  at  a  town  meeting  in  1647* 
it  was  voted  "  that  the  meeting  house  be  suddenly 
put  in  safe  repaire,  and  the  charges  put  in  the  consta- 
bles rates."  This  is  almost  the  earliest  record  of  any 
town  doings.  The  first  house  stood  in  nearly  the 
same  spot  where  Dr.  Putnam's  now  stands.  It  was 
a  building  poorer  than  any  decent  barn  now  in  the 
place.  It  was  not  shingled  without,  nor  plastered 
within.  It  had  no  galleries,  pews,  or  spire.  The 
people  sat  on  plain  benches  without  any  appointed 
places.  The  men  and  the  women's  seats  were  on 
opposite  sides  of  the  house.  It  was  such  as  we  some- 
times see  in  frontier  towns,  or  in  the  woods  in  the 
southern  states,  provided  for  the  slaves  of  the  neigh- 
boring plantations. 

In  1654,  the  town  voted  to  build  two  galleries  in 
the  meeting  house  and  that  the  selectmen  "see  to  it." 

In  1656,  the  ends  of  the  building  were  clapboard- 
ed. 

In  1658,  the  town  passed  a  vote  "that  ye  meeting 
house  be  repaired,  and  for  warmth  and  comfort,  that 
ye  house  be  shingled" — to  build  "  two  galleries  with 
three  seates,"  and  that  ye  house  "  be  plastered  witli- 


24  HFSTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  1. 

in  side  witii  lime  and  haire,  also,  for  setting  out  of  ye 
house,  that  some  pinacle,  or  other  orniments  be  set 
upon  each  end  of  ye  house  and  that  ye  bell  be 
removed  in  some  covenient  place  for  ye  benefit  of  ye 
towne,"  "always  provided  before  this  be  done  ye  tim- 
bers of  ye  house  be  well  searched  that,  if  there  be 
such  defects  as  some  think,  our  labor  may  not  be  in 
vaine." 

In  1659,  John  Chamberlain  (the  first  sexton  no- 
ticed) was  to  have  50  shillings  a  year  for  ringing  the 
bell  and  sweeping  and  £3  if  he  would  "keep  ye 
doore  bowlted." 

In  1665,  there  was  complaint  that  several  wanted 
convenient  room  to  sit  in  the  meeting  house  "to  their 
edification  by  reason  of  the  disturbance  the  boys 
made  in  the  galleries,"  and  the  town  desired  the  se- 
lectmen to  advise  with  the  elders  about  removing  the 
boys  and  building  some  other  gallery,  or  making 
another  "paire  stayers"  or  doing  any  thing  to  remedy 
the  evil. 

In  1672  there  was  a  "full  towne  meeting  in  con- 
sultation about  repairing  of  meeting  house"  and  after 
much  debate  "  with  love  and  condescendencv  one  to 
another,"  they  voted  to  build  a  new  house  not  more 
than  ten  rods  from  the  old  one.  The  Muddy  River 
people  contributed,  towards  building  the  new  church, 
104/.  55^. 

In  1698,  it  appears  from  the  records  of  Brookline, 
the  Roxbury  people  agreed  to  permit  the  people  of 
Muddy  River  to  worship  at  their  house,  and  to  bear 
one-fifth  of  the  expense,  which  was  £6  4s/i.  and  a 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxburv.  25 

meeting,  at  the  Flower-de-luce,  kept  bj  Mr.  Rug- 
glcs,  was  called  to  settle  that  business. 

"A  list  of  the  names  and  sums  of  our  Brethren  &  Neighbors 
of  Muddy  river  that  they  contribute  towards  the  erecting  of  a 
new  meeting  house  in  Roxbury. 

Sums.  £  sh.     d. 

Thomas  Gardner  10  00     00 

John  White,  Jr.  10  00 

Peter  Aspinwall  7 

John  Sharpe,  Jr.  5 

Thomas  Boistan  5 

Richard  Wolford  1  10 

Andrew  Gardner  5 

Joseph  White  3 

Moises  Crafts  2 

Clement  Corban  1  10 

John  Evens  00  15 

John  Accers  1  10 

John  Winchester  3  00 

Robert  Harrise  4  00 

John  Harise  2  00 

Benjamin  Child  2  00 

Denman  Meriam  1  00 

John  Clarke  3  00 

Edward  Mills  00  10 

James  Clarke  1  10 

Edward  Devotion  5  00 

Henry  Stevens  5  00 

John  Parker  1  10 

Edward  Keebe  1  10 

Goodwife  Keebe  00  10 

Mrs.  Mather  &      )  07  00 

James  Rementon  ) 

Thomas  Woodward  00  10 

Goodman  Winchester  7  00 

Samuel  Dunkin  1  10 


£104     05    00 

They  had  a  raising,  and  the  bill  of  expenses  and 
provisions  was  £20,  \5sht  lOd.  £9,  5s.  to  hands  for 
etceteras ! 

In  1673,  by  request  of  inhabitants  living  remote, 

4 


26  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT    i. 

leave  was  given  to  build  nooning  houses,  for  sabbath 
and  other  public  dajs. 

In  1693  is  a  grant  for  "pueing  the  meeting  house" 
giving    "liberty  to  build    pues  around   the  meeting 
house  except  where  the  boys  do  sit,  upon  the  charge 
of  those  who  desire  the  same,  to  have  consent  of  the 
committee,  &  this  only  to  be  granted  to  meet  persons 
for  them  to  enjoy,  &  they  &  their  familyes  to  fill  the 
pews  or  else  the  committee  to  do  it  for  them,  the  use 
of  this  grant  being  to  save  room  &  not  to  lose  it,  but 
if  any  dye,  the  pews  to  return  to  the  town  &  no  one 
to  sell."     The  locality  of  the  pews  is  recorded.     Be- 
hind Mrs.  Denison's  seat,  and  ranging  with  Mr.  Wal- 
ters pew  was  Palsgrave  Alcocks.     The  remainder  of 
that  corner  was  cut  up  into  two  pews,  one  for  Jas. 
Bailey  and  one  for  Capt.  Saunders,  the  one  having 
the   innermost    to   pass    through    the   other.      Capt. 
Timo.  Stevens  built  his  next  the  door  at  the  South 
end  on  the  right  hand,  and  John  Howard  between 
that  and  the  stairs  to  the  women's  gallery.     Eben 
Pierpont's  was  on  the  right,  coming  in  at  the  front 
door,  and  Jos.  Gardner's  between  that  and  the  men's 
gallery  stairs.     Opposite  those   was  Saml.   Ruggles. 
On  the  left  of  the  North  door  was  Edward  Dor's,  and 
between  that  and  the  stairs  to  the  men's  gallery,  was 
Edward    Weld's.      John  Gores'  was  by   the   pulpit 
stairs. 

But  I  cannot  dwell  longer  on  these  matters.  If 
any  one  would  see  the  watchful  care,  and  the  attach- 
ment of  the  people  for  the  church,  let  him  read  the 
letters  and  instructions  concerning  selhng  the  old  bell 
and  buviuir  a  ni'w  one. 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  27 

It  is  not  known  whether  the  people  of  Roxbury 
were  called  together  for  church  service  by  beat  of 
drum,  as  in  other  towns,  before  they  had  a  bell. 

The  order  of  exercises  at  Church  were  first  a 
prayer  by  the  Pastor ;  then  the  reading  and  expound- 
ing of  scripture  by  the  Teacher ;  then  the  singing  of 
a  Psalm,  which  was  dictated  or  lined  by  the  Ruling 
Elder ;  after  that  the  Pastor  preached  a  sermon  or 
made  an  extemporaneous  exhortation.  The  services 
concluded  with  prayer  and  a  blessing  from  the 
Teacher.  The  distinction  made  between  the  office 
of  Pastor  and  Teacher  in  Roxbury,  and  generally 
observed,  was  not  universally  adopted. 

In  the  first  organization  of  a  Church  the  procedure 
was  thus :  "one  of  the  Church  messengers  of  for- 
raine  Churches  examined  and  tried  the  men  to  be 
moulded  into  a  Church,  discerned  their  faith  and  re- 
pentance, and  their  covenant  being  before  ready 
made,  written,  subscribed,  and  read  and  acknowl- 
edged, hee  discerned  and  pronounced  them  to  be  a 
true  Church  of  Christ,"  &c.  "So  did  Master  Weld 
at  the  founding  of  Weymouth  Church." 

Church  members  and  officers  were  elected.  The 
custom  was  to  have  strict  personal  examination.  At 
the  formation  of  the  Indian  Church  a  long  examina- 
tion was  had  in  public  in  the  Church  at  Roxbury 
which  is  still  preserved.      It  was  always  rigid. 

Ordination  was  by  imposition  of  hands,  by  minis- 
ters, if  there.  If  there  were  none,  "then  two  or 
three  of  good  report,  tho'  not  of  the  Ministry,  did, 
by  appointment  of  the  Church,  lay  hands  on  them." 
The  right  hand  of  fellowship  was  either  given  by  one 


28  WISTOKY    Ol-    KOXBUKV.  [PaRT  I. 

ill  the  name  of  all,  or  else  the  several  delegates  of 
the  Churches  each  took  the  hand  of  him,  to  whom, 
by  this  rite  they  pledged  the  faith  of  christian  broth- 
erhood. 

The  salary  provided  by  the  town  in  1649-50,  for 
Mr.  Eliot  was  £60.  By  the  same  vote  £50  was  as- 
sessed for  Mr.  Davenport.  This  indicates  that  such 
a  person  was  engaged  in  the  Church  after  Mr.  Weld 
left,  before  Mr.  Danforth  was  ordained.  But  it  may 
have  been  for  the  school  or  the  fort.  In  1652,  £120 
was  assessed,  to  be  equally  divided  between  Mr.  El- 
iot and  Mr.  Danforth.  In  1718,  they  gave  to  Mr. 
Nehemiah  Walter  £100,  and  to  his  son  Thomas  £80, 
and  also  voted  £100  towards  his  settlement. 

In  1674,  6th,  10th  month,  is  the  first  record  of  a 
sabbath  school.  "This  day  we  restored  a  primitive 
practice  for  ye  training  up  of  our  youth,"  and  then 
reciting  ''1st  that  the  male  youth,  (in  fitting  season) 
stey,  every  sabbath,  after  morning  exercise,  and  the 
elders  examine  their  remembrance  in  every  part  of 
the  catechism.  2d,  that  the  female  youth  should 
also  meet  in  one  place  and  their  elders  examine  their 
remembrance  in  the  catechism,  and  whatever  else 
may  convene." 

The  following  will  show  what  were  the  most  im- 
portant matters,  in  those  early  days,  in  the  colony 
and  in  the  town. 

"Certain  Propositions  agreed  upon  and  voted  in  ye  Church  ye 
21ih  of  8  m.  1658. 

Infants,  either  of  whose  immediate  parents  are  in  Church  cov- 
enant, do  confederate  in  their  parents  &  therefore  arc  members  of 
ye  Church  and  ye  Church  ought  to  take  care  that  they  be  duly  in- 


PaKT    I.]  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  29 

slructed  ,in  the  grounds  of  religion,  &  be  trained  up  under  yc 
tuition  of  ordinances.  Gen.  17,  7— Deul.  29,  12,  13—1  Cor.  7 
14— Gen.  IS,  19— Ps.  78,  5,  6— Eph.  64." 

There  were  four  others,  which  are  too  long  to  be 
inserted  here.     The  vote  passed  in  these  words  : 

"Upon  many  agitations  amongst  ourselves,  upon  much  advice 
and  counsel  and  especially  that  of  the  first  synod  at  Cambridge, 
(1647)  and  the  late  Council  at  Boston,  (1657)  after  more  than 
ten  yeans  time  of  consideration  about  those  points  in  hand.  Wee 
the  Church  of  Roxbury  are  at  last  come  up  to  the  resolution,  that 
wee  judge  in  our  consciences,  yt  those  5  propositions  are  agreea- 
ble to  ye  truth  of  God  and  rules  which  we  are  to  walk  by." 

The  other  propositions  were — that  it  was  the  duty 
of  all  the  seede  of  the  Church  as  soon  as  they  should 
come  to  years  of  discretion  to  own  the  covenant 
made  in  their  parents.  That  the  children  of  mem- 
bers should  be  entitled  to  baptism.  That  those  who 
had  owned  the  covenant,  must,  before  being  admit- 
ted to  full  communions  the  Lord's  supper  and  voting, 
make  public  confession,  and  in  case  of  unreasonable 
refusal,  they  should  be  cut  off  from  the  Church. 

Nearly  a  hundred  years  later  some  of  these  ques- 
tions taxed  a  mind  like  that  of  Jonathan  Edwards. 

The  following  list  contains  the  names  of  all  who 
were  admitted  to  the  first  Church  before  1650,  and 
whose  names  do  not  occur  in  the  ancient  list  of  in- 
habitants. Some  of  these  remained,  and  were  well 
known  citizens  of  the  town,  where  their  descendants 
still  live.  Of  others  no  trace  can  be  found,  but  the 
simple  name  on  the  Church  records.  Such  particu- 
lars as  can  be  gleaned  concerning  the  residence  of 
those  who  removed,  are  added  to  a  few  of  the  names, 


30  HISTORY     OF     ROXUURY.  [PaRT  I. 

as   these    arc    important  chiefly  in  genealogical   re- 
searches. 


Jehu    Burr,  was  a  carpenter,  and 
one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Spring- 
field, with  Pynchon. 
Richard  Bugby  &  his  wife,  Judith. 
Gregorie     Baxter  ;      he    went    to 

Braintree. 
Francis  Smith. 
Mr.  Richard  Dummer  and  his  wife 

Mary. 
William  Talmadge  and  wife,  went 

to  "Linn." 
Samuel  Wakeman,  went   to  Hart- 
ford. 
John  Coggshall  and  wife  went  to 

Rhode  Island. 
Thomas  Offit  and  wife. 
Thomas  Goldthwait  wentto  Salem. 
Rebecca  Short,  came  in  1632. 
Abraham    Pratt    and    Joanna,   his 

wife. 
Ann  Shelly  came  in  1632,  a  maid 
servant.     She  married   one  Fox- 
all  of  Scituate. 
John    Walker    and    wife    went   to 

Rhode  Island. 
Elizabeth  Hinds  married   Alexan- 
der   of  Boston,  1633. 

John  Porter  &,  Margaret,  his  wife. 
Elizabeth  Ballard,  a  maid  servant, 
came     in   1633,   married  Robert 
Seaver. 
William    Cornwell    and    his    wife, 

Jane. 
Samuell  Basse,  with  Ann  his  wife, 

went  to  Braintree. 
Philip  Sherman,  came  in  1633.  He 
married  Sarah  Odding,  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  Porter's  wife,  be- 
came a  familist,  and  removed  to 
the  Island. 
Marsaret     Huntiuifdon    came     in 


1638,  and  brought  several  child- 
ren.    Her  husband   died   on   the 
passage  of  small  pox. 
Jasper   Rawlings   and    Joann,    his 

wife. 
Thomas  Hale  married   Jane    Lord 
in    1640   and  went    to   Hartford, 
Conn. 

Hues,  a  maid  servant. 

John  Cumpton. 

Freeborne. 

Robert  Potter  and  Isabel,  his  wife. 
Walter  Disborough  and  his  wife. 
Elizabeth  Howard,  a  maid  servant. 
Elizabeth  Bowis. 
Edward  Paison. , 
Nicholas  Baker. 
William  Webb  and  his  wife. 
Elizabeth  Wise,  widow. 
Adam   Mott  and    Sarah,  his  wife, 
Hingham.     A  tailor  of  this  name 
came  in  1635,  in  the  Defence. 
Richard  Carder. 
John  Astwood  and  his  wife  went  to 

Milford,  Conn. 
Jasper  Gun. 
Thomas    Bircharde    and    his    wife, 

came  in  the  Truelove,  1635, 
Mary    Norrice,  a  maide,  daughter 

of  Edward  Norrice  of  Salem. 
Henry  Bull.     He  came  out  in  the 
James  in  1635,  became  a  familist 
and  went  to  the  Island. 
James  How  and  his  wife. 
Mary    Swaine.     She    lived    after- 
wards at  New  Haven,  Conn. 
Jane  Ford.     See  Thos.  Hale. 
Pliillis  Pepper,  maid  servant. 
Christian  Spisor. 

Rachel  Write.     She  was    a  "maid 
"Servant"'  tS: -married  John  Levins 


Part  I.] 


HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY. 


31 


Joanna  Boysp,  "a  maidc.  " 
Thomas  Mihill,  Rowloj-. 

Greene,  a  widow. 

Thomas  Robinson  and  Silene,  his 

wife. 

Mrs. Sheafe,  a  widow. 

Mr. Blackburne  and  his  wife. 

George   Kilborne,  a  man  servant. 

He  went  to  Rowley. 
Dorothy  Harbittle,  a  maid  servant. 
Ann  Wallis,  a  maid  servant. 

Anderson. 

Thomas  Bumsted,  and   his  wife. — 

They  were  dismissed  to  Boston. 

Allis 

John  Mayes  and  his  wife. 

Lewis  Jones. 

RicJiard  Woddy  and  his  wife. 

Thomas  Baker. 

William  Lewis. 

Mr.  Hugh  Pritchard  and  his  wife. 

Edward  White. 

James  Morgan. 

Thomas  Roberts,  Exeter. 

Edmund  Sheffield,  Braintree. 

John  Woody. 

Thomas  Reines,  a  man  .servant. 

Mary  Turner,  a  maid  servant. 

Richard  Goard. 


Philip  Torie. 

Richard  Woody,  Jr. 

Joan  Atkins,  a  maid  servant,  mar- 
ried a  Smith  «fcwent  to  Maiden. 

Hannah    Roe,    a   maid    servant   of 
Mr.  Gore. 

William  Franklin,  executed. 

Henry  Farnham. 

Ann  Direton,  a  maid  servant. 

Thomas  Gardner,  Muddy  River. 

Widow  Gardner. 

John  Stcbbin  and  wife. 

John  Stonehard  and  his  wife,  Ann. 

Goodwife  Farrar. 

Goodwife  Read. 

Mary  Heath. 

Robert  Harris. 

John  Turner. 

Edward  Denison. 

Martha  Metcalfe. 

George  Beard. 

Samuell   Williams,  aged  15  or  IS 
years. 

John  Weld. 

Mrs.    Barker.      "She    came    from 
Barbadoes  for  the  Gospels  sake." 

Goodwife    Fatchin,  "a    poore    old 
woman." 


Besides  these  named,  some  Indians  joined  the 
church.  Nan,  Egborn,  and  some  others,  are  named 
in  the  records. 

Nearly  all  those  whose  names  occur  in  the  list  giv- 
ing the  property  estates  of  the  inhabitants  were,  as 
well  as  the  foregoing,  members  of  the  first  church. 
For  nearly  a  hundred  years,  that  was  the  only  church 
and,  in  fact,  the  town.  Few  persons  lived  above  the 
Plain.  Most  of  the  families  are  very  old,  and  nearly 
all  became  coimected  l)y  blood  or  marriage. 


32  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

Quito  a  number  of  estates  in  the  town  have  never 
passed  out  of  the  families  of  the  first  settlers. 

The  following  is  a  List  of  the  Ministers  of  the  First  Church. 

First  Church  gathered  in  July,         .....  1632. 

Rev.  Thomas  Weld,  "chosen  &  invested  pastor"  July,  1632. 

Rev.  John  Eliot  "ordained  Teacher"  Nov.  5,         .         .  1632. 

Rev.  Thomas  Weld,  left 1640. 

Rev.  Samuel  Danforth,  ordained  Sept.  24,  .  .  1650, 

Rev.  Nehemiah  Walter,  ord.  Oct.  17,         .         .         .  16S8. 

Rev.  Thomas  Walter,  ord.  Oct.  19,         ...         .  171S. 

Rev.  Oliver  Peabody,  ord.  Nov.  7,         .         .         .         .  1750. 

Rev.  Amos  Adams,  ord.  Sept.  12,         ...         .  1753. 

Rev.  Eliphalet  Porter,  ord.  Oct.  2,         .         .         .         .  17S2. 

Rev.  George  Putnam,  ord.  July  7,         .  *"      .         .         .  1830. 

In  1706,  Joseph  Weld  and  forty-four  others  "at 
the  West  end  of  Roxbury  towards  Dedham,  com- 
monly called  Jamaica  End  &  Spring  Street,"  pre- 
sented to  the  General  Court  a  petition  reciting  that 
they  were  "settled  in  an  out-part  of  the  town,  at 
great  distance  from  the  meeting  house  and  the  great 
Travail  and  time  in  going  &  returning"  &c.,  and 
praying  to  be  made  a  separate  precinct,  embracing 
that  part  of  the  town  lying  between  the  line  running 
across  the  town  at  the  upper  part  of  the  plain  and 
Dedham,  including  about  fifty  families,  and  to  be 
freed  from  taxes  for  the  old  parish  and  for  aid  in 
building  a  house.  The  original,  with  the  signatures 
of  the  inhabitants  at  the  West  end  and  the  original 
orders  of  Court  endorsed  thereon,  is  still  preserved 
in  the  hands  of  one  of  the  families  in  town. 

It  was  first  proposed  to  set  the  house  at  Weedy 
Plain. 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  33 

The  first  Church  stood  on  the  old  Dedhani  road, 
on  tlie  part  now  called  Walter  street,  near  the  old 
burying  ground. 

The  third  or  Jamaica  Plain  parish,  was  not  formed 
till  more  than  fifty  years  afterwards. 

The  time  when  the  first  burial  ground,  at  the  cor- 
ner of  Washington  and  Eustis  streets,  was  laid  out  is 
not  known. 

On  the  second  page  of  the  oldest  Town  Book  is  an 
agreement  by  "John  Woody,  constable,"  "to  fence  in 
ye  buriall  place,  with  a  stone  wall,  and  a  douball  gate 
of  six  or  eight  fett  wide  and  to  rigge  it  and  to  finde 
all  stuf  and  stones." 

In  1651,  Thomas  Alcock  had  liberty  to  feed  "the 
buriall  place,  he  fencing,  and  putting  a  gate  and  lock 
and  two  keys,"  &c. 

In  1683,  voted  "that  our  Brethren  at  Jamaco  have 
liberty  to  provide  a  convenant  place  for  a  herring 
place  and  ye  towne  in  generall  wdll  bare  the  charge 
provided  the  selectmen  doe  judge  the  place  conve- 
nant, and  the  aforesaid  herring  place  if  so  provided 
shall  be  for  any  of  the  towne  to  bury  their  dead  in  if 
they  please."  The  place  was  probably  on  the  hill, 
near  where  the  second  Church  stood. 

In  1724,  Captain  Heath  gave  land  for  a  burial 
place  at  the  Plain. 

In  1725,  the  first  burial  place  was  enlarged. 

In  1673,  the  town  chose  a  coffm-maker  and  digger 
of  graves. 


« 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Free  Schoole  in  Roxlurie, 

The  free  school,  also,  which  has  always  been  so 
dear  to  the  people  of  the  Town,  and  has  now  become 
so  well  endowed,  was  established  by  the  first  settlers 
at  an  early  day.  The  precise  date  of  its  foundation 
cannot  be  determined  and  is  only  fixed  in  the  various 
accounts  met  with  as  prior  to  1645.  Dedham  estab- 
lished a  school  in  1644  and  appropriated  20/.  a  year 
to  it,  and  Winthrop  says  that  divers  free  schools  were 
established  about  this  time.  In  the  will  of  Samuel 
Hugburne,  under  date  of  1642,  is  this  provision: 
"  When  Roxbury  shall  set  up  a  free  schoole  in  ye 
towne  there  shall  ten  shilling  per  annum  out  of  ye 
necke  of  land  and  ten  shilling  per  annum  out  of  the 
house  and  house  lot  be  paid  unto  it  forever." 

The  school  was,  therefore,  founded  after  1642. 

Sometime  between  that  time  and  August  1645,  the 
inhabitants  entered  into  an  agreement  for  the  support 
of  a  free  school,  which  agreement  was  destroyed  by 
fire,  as  will  be  seen  by  a  petition  afterwards  present- 
ed to  the  general  court. 

In  1645,  there  was  an  agreement  made,  to  supply 
the  place  of  the  old  one,  which  is  still  preserved,  in  a 
little,  old,  parchment  covered  book  which   is  tied  up 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  35 

like  a  scroll.  It  may  now  be  regarded  as  the  begin- 
ning of  the  free  school.  As  it  is  of  some  importance, 
as  well  as  an  interesting  cnriosity,  it  is  given  at 
length. 

"Whereas,  the  ink^itants  of  Roxburic,  out  of  their  religious 
care  of  posteritie,  have  taken  into  consideration  how  ncccssarie 
the  education  of  theire  children  in  literature  will  be  to  fitt  them 
for  publicke  service  bothe  in  Church  and  Commonwealthe  in  suc- 
ceeding ages,  They,  therefore,  unanimously  have  consented  and 
agreed  to  erect  a  free  schoole  in  the  said  Town  of  Roxburie 
and  to  allow  twenty  pounds  per  annum  to  the  Schoole  master  to 
be  raised  out  of  the  messuages  and  part  of  the  lands  of  the  sev- 
eral donors  (Inhabitants  of  the  said  Town)  in  several  proportions 
as  hereafter  followeth  under  theire  hands.  And  for  the  well  or- 
dering thereof  they  have  chosen  and  elected  seven  Feoffees  who 
shall  have  power  to  put  in  or  remove  the  schoolemaster,  to  see  to 
the  well  ordering  of  the  schoole  and  scholars  to  receive  and  pay 
the  said  Twenty  pounds  per  annum  to  the  schoolemaster  and  to 
dispose  of  any  other  gifte  or  giftes  which  hereafter  may  or  shall 
be  given  for  the  advancement  of  learning  &  education  of  child- 
ren. And  if  it  happen  that  any  one  or  more  of  the  said  fTeoffees 
to  dye,  or  by  removal  out  of  the  Towne,  or  excommunication  to 
bee  displayced,  the  said  Donors  hereafter  expressed  doe  hereby 
covenant  for  themselves  and  for  their  heirs  within  the  space  of  one 
month  after  such  death  or  reraovall  of  any  one  or  more  of  the 
ffeoffees  to  elect  and  choose  other  in  their  roome  so  that  the  num- 
ber may  be  compleate.  And  if  the  said  Donors  or  the  greater 
parte  of  them  doe  neglect  to  make  election  within  the  time  fore- 
limited,  then  shall  the  surviving  ffeofTees  or  the  greater  part  of 
them,  elect  new  ffeofTees  in  the  roome  or  roomes  of  such  as  are 
dead  or  removed  (as  before)  to  fullfiU  the  number  of  seven,  and 
then  their  election  shall  bee  of  equal  validity  and  force,  as  if  it 
had  been  made  by  all  or  the  greater  number  of  the  said  Donors. 
In  consideration  of  the  premises  and  that  due  provision  may 
not  bee  wanting  for  the  maintenance  of  the  Schoolemaster  for 
ever,  the  Donors  hereafter  expressed,  for  the  scverall  proportions 
by  them   voluntarily  undertaken  &  under   written,  Have  given 


36  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT   1. 

and  granted,  k.  by  these  presents  doe  for  themselves,  their  heires 
and  Assignees,  icspeciively  hereby  give  and  grant  unto  the  pres- 
ent ffeofTees  viz:  Joseph  Weld,  John  Johnson,  John  Roberts, 
Joshua  Hews,  Isaac  Morrell,  Thomas  Lambe  &  their  successors 
chosen  as  is  aforesaid,  the  severall  rents  or  summes  hereafter  ex- 
pressed under  their  handes  issuing  &  goeing  for  the  of  their  sev- 
erall Messuages  lands  &  tenements  in  Roxl|^ie,  yearely  payable 
al  or  upon  the  last  of  September,  by  even  portions :  the  first 
payment  to  begin  the  last  of  September  in  this  present  yeare. 
And  the  said  Donors  for  themselves,  their  heires  and  Assignees 
do  covenant  and  grant  to  and  with  the  fTeofTees  and  their  succes- 
sors that  if  the  said  annuall  rente  or  any  parte  thereoff  be  arricre 
and  unpayed  for  the  space  of  twenty  days  next  after  '.he  days  ap- 
poynted  for  payment,  that  then  and  from  thenceforth  it  shall  be 
lawful  for  and  to  the  said  fTeofTees  and  their  successors  unto  the 
said  messuages.  Lands  and  premises  of  the  parlie  or  parties 
making  default  to  enter  and  distraine  and  the  said  disiresse  then 
and  there  found  to  leade,  drive  and  carry  away,  and  the  same  to 
prize  and  sell  for  the  payment  of  the  said  rents  returning  the 
overplus  unto  the  owners  and  proprietors  of  the  said  houses  and 
Lands.  And  further  the  said  Donors  doe  for  themselves,  theire 
heires  and  Assignees  covenant  and  grant  to  and  with  the  fTeofTees 
aforesaid  and  their  successors  that  if  no  sufficient  distresse  or 
distressed  can  be  had  or  taken  in  the  premises  according  to  the 
true  intent  and  meaneing  of  this  present  deed,  or  if  it  shall  hap- 
pen that  any to  bee  made  or  replevie  or  replevins  to  be  sued 

or  obtained  of  or  by  reason  of  any  distresse  or  distressed  to  bee 
taken  by  virtue  of  the  presents  as  is  aforesaid,  that  then  and  from 
thenceforth  it  shall  &  may  bee  lawfuU  for  the  said  fTeofTees  and 
their  successors  into  the  said  Messuages,  Lands  &  premises  to 
enter  and  the  same  and  every  part  thereof  to  have  use  and  enjoy 
to  the  use  of  the  Schoole  and  the  rentes  issues  and  proffits  there- 
of to  receive  and  take,  and  the  same  to  take  and  deteine  and 
keepe  to  the  use  and  behoofe  of  the  schoole  as  is  aforesaid,  with- 
out any  account  makeing  thereof  unto  the  said  Donors,  their 
heirs  or  assignees  and  to  use  and  to  occupie  the  said  houses, 
lands  and  premises  to  the  use  aforesaid  untill  such  time  as  the 
said  annuall  rents  or  summes  and  every  parte  or  parcell  thereoff 
with  all  arrearages  and  damages  for  non  payment  bee  fully  satis- 


Part  J.] 


HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY. 


37 


fied  and  paid  unto  the  said  ficoffees  their  successors  or  assignees 
by  the  said  Donors,  their  heires  or  assignees  or  any  of  them : 
of  which  said  rentes  or  summes  the  said  Donors  every  and  sin- 
gular of  them  have  putt  the  said  fTeofTees  in  full  possession  and 
seizin  at  the  delivery  hereof.  And  for  the  further  ratification 
hereof,  the  said  Donors  become  suitors  to  the  honored  General 
Court  for  the  establishment  hereof  by  their  authority  and  power. 
Always  provided  that  none  of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  said  Tovvne 
of  Roxburie  that  shall  not  joyne  in  this  act  with  the  rest  of  the 
Donors  shall  have  any  further  benefit  thereby  than  other  stran- 
gers shall  have  who  are  no  Inhabitantes.  And  lastly  it  is  enact- 
ed by  the  said  Donors  that  the  fTeofTees  and  their  successors  shall 
from  time  to  time  be  accountable  unto  the  Court  of  Assistants  and 
the  Donors  for  the  trust  committed  to  them  when  at  any  tintie  they 
shall  be  called  thereunto  and  required.  In  witness  whereof  the 
said  Donors  aforesaid  have  hereunto  subscribed  their  names  and 
summes  given  yearly,  the  last  day  of  August  in  the  year  of  Our 
Lord  1645. 


Mr.  Thomas  Dudley,  for  the  house  he  dwells  in 
Captain  Gookins,  for  the  house  he  dwells  in 

[This  was  the  great  friend  of  Eliot,  the  one  who  aided 
dian  work.  He  came  from  Virginia  in  1644,  and  went  to 
164S.] 


Mr.  Thomas  Welde 
Mr.  John  Eliot 
Captaine  Joseph  Weld 
Mr.  Hugh  Prichard 

Mr.  Joshua  Hevves 

Mr,  John  Gore 
John  Johnson 
Thomas  Bell 
Wm.  Park 
Isaac  Morill 
Isaac  Heath 
Thomas  Lamb 
William  Denison 
Phillip  Elliott 


for  his  dwelling  house 
for  his  dwelling  house 
for  his  house 
for  his  house 

!for  his  lot  at  the  pond 
by  Capt.  Weld  bein 
IS  acres  in  all 
for  his  dwelling  house 


01  04  00 

01  00  00 

hira  in  the  In- 

Cambridge  in 

1  04  00 

1  04  00 

1  04  00 

1  04  00 

00  16  00 

00  16  00 

00  13  00 

1  00  00 

00  13  00 

00  12  00 

00  11  00 

00  10  00 

00  OS  00 

00  OS  00 


38 


HISTORV    OF    ROXBURY. 


John  Roberts 
George  Holmes 
Wm.  Cheney 
John  Watson 
Samuel  Ffinch 
John  Watson 
Daniel, Brewer 
Isaac  Johnson 
James  Astwood 
John  Bowles 
Griffin  Crafts 
John  Ruggles 
Robert  Williams 
John  Scarboro 
Giles  Pason 
Richard  Pepper 
Humphrey  Johnson 
Richard  Woody,  senr. 
Richard  Woody,  scd. 
John  Woody 
Abraham  Newell 
John  Stonnard 
Edward  Pason 
Robert  Seaver 
Robert  Gamlin 
Thomas  Gardner 
John  Leavinz 
Edward  Porter 
Christopher  Peake 
Richard  Peacock 
Ffrancis  Smith 
Thomas  Ruggles,  widow 
John  Mays 
Ralph  Hemingway 
Edward  Bridge 
Abraham  Howe 
Edwin  Anderson 
Arthur  Garey 


for  his  dwelling  house 


for  his  lot  at  yc  pond 
for  his  house 


[Part  I. 

00  08  00 

00  OS  00 

00  OS  00 

00  OS  00 

00  06  00 

00  04  00 

00  05  00 

00  04  00 

00  04  00 

00  04  00 

00  04  00 

00  04  00 

00  04  00 

00  04  00 

00  04  00 

00  04  00 

00  04  00 

00  03  04 

00  03  04 

00  03  04 

00  03  04 

00  03  04 

00  03  04 

00  02  06 

00  03  04 

00  03  04 

00  03  04 

00  02  06 

00  02  06 

00  02  00 

00  02  00 

00  02  00 

00  02  00 

00  02  00 

00  02  00 

00  02  00 

00  02  00 

00  02  00 


I»ART    I.] 

HISTORY    OF 

UOXBURY. 

39 

Edward  Btigby 

tor  his  li 

ouse 

00 

02 

00 

Edward  White 

ti 

" 

00 

02 

00 

Robert  Pepper 

it 

<i 

00 

02 

00 

William  Lewis 

i( 

(( 

00 

02 

00 

Martin  Siebbin 

K 

(1 

00 

02 

00 

John  Siebbin 

II 

(( 

00 

02 

00 

Jeremiah  Cesworih                 '" 

u 

00 

02 

00 

Robert  Prentice 

(1 

l( 

00 

02 

00 

Lewis  Jones 

(( 

(( 

00 

04 

00 

It  is  agreed  by  all  such  of  the  inhabitants  of  Roxbury  as  have 
or  shall  subscribe  their  names  to  this  booke  for  themselves  sever- 
ally and  their  severall  8c  respective  heires  and  executors  that  not 
only  their  houses,  but  also  their  yardes,  orchards,  gardenings, 
outhouses  and  homesteads  shall  be  and  are  hereby  bounde  and  be 
made  lyabie  to  and  for  the  severall  yearly  somes  and  rente  before 
or  hereafter  in  this  booke  mentioned  to  be  paid  by  every  of  them, 
dated  the  xxviii  th  day  December  1646. 

Tho.  Dudley  William    Cheney 

Tho.  Weld  Richard  Pepper 

John  Eliot  Edwin  Anderson 

Isaac  Heath  Giles  Payson 

Hugh  Prichard  Humphrey  Johnson 

John  Johnson  Edward  Porter 

William  Parke  Isaac  Johnson 

John  Roberts  Thomas  Gardner 

The  following  notes  occur  in  the  agreement,  viz : 
Under  Capt.  Gookin's  name, 

"When  Cajit.  Gookins  leases  the  house  he  dwells  in  then  the  follow 

ing  inhabitants obs who   shall    possess  the  lot   adjoining 

thereto  are  to  pay  two  shillings  yearly  and  the   possessors  of  the   neck, 
late  Samuel  Hugburnes  are  to  pay  the  other  ten  shillings  yearly." 
Opposite  Thos.  Welde's  name, 

"Although  the  name  of  Mr.  Thos.  Welde  our  reverend  pastor  be  not 
sett  down,  only  Mr,  Eliot  hath  subscribed  to  both  Mr.  Weld's  gift  and 
liis  own,  the  reason  is  because  Mr.  Weld  being  in  England  gave  orders 
and  power  to  Mr.  Eliot  so  to  do  and  his  son  who  doth  inherit  his  lands  in 
Roxbury  doth  say  that  he  is  fully  satisfied  in  it  because  Mr.  Eliot  did 
show  him  his  fither's  letters  wherein  he  gave  him  power  so  to  do,  to 
these  expressions  of  Mr.  Tho.  Weld  the  son  of  our  reverend  pastor,  we 
testified  by  our  hands.  William  Parks, 

John  Bowls." 
Under  Thos.  Bell's  name, 

"Mr.  Bell  at  request  of  Mr.  Eliot  hath  (obs.)  gived  power  to  (obs.)  & 
we  (obs.)  Eliot  to  make  the  sum  of  his  donation  upon  his  farm  the  sum 
of  twenty  shillings  (witness)  his  letter  dated  Ji2  of  the  third  month  IGGi) 
this  is  20  shill.  pr.  annum.  We,  the  feofters  saw  this  letter  A:  by  our 
names  wo  certify  the  same  that  he  givcth  20  pr.  annum." 


40  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  T. 

Such  was  the  origin  of  wliat  is  now  the  Roxbury 
High  School. 

The  school  rents  created  by  these  agreements  were 
collected  the  next  year.  And  for  about  a  hundred 
years  afterwards  rent  was  collected  by  virtue  of  these 
agreements,  though  the  amount  was  afterwards  re- 
duced one  half  by  general  consent.  The  first  charter 
did  not  free  the  signers  of  the  original  instrument 
from  their  obligations  under  them.  No  trace  has  yet 
been  found  of  any  act  or  agreement  by  which  the  va- 
rious estates  in  town  are  exempted  from  payment  of 
School  rent.  The  author  of  a  sketch  of  the  history 
of  this  school  published  in  1826,  who  was  a  teacher 
of  the  school,  says,  "  how  or  in  what  manner  the 
lands  originally  subjected  to  this  tribute,  became  ex- 
empted from  the  payment  of  the  tax  or  whether  they 
are  in  fact  legally  exempted  will  remain  matter  of 
uncertainty  until  further  papers  shall  be  found,  as  the 
want  of  boundaries  and  descriptions  prevent  all 
knowledge  of  the  estates  subjected  to  the  payment." 
In  a  very  full  manuscript  account  of  the  school,  writ- 
ten by  a  very  accurate  man  and  one  who  was  learned 
in  the  ancient  history  of  the  Town  and  School,  no 
allusion  is  made  to  the  release  of  the  estates  from  this 
rent.  In  1722  a  suit  was  commenced  against  Sam- 
uel Stevens  for  the  recovery  of  five  years  back  rent, 
by  the  feoffees.  It  has  been  supposed  that  this  was 
tried  to  test  the  question  whether  the  estates  were 
holden  for  these  rents.  But,  on  examination  of  the 
record,  (the  suit  being  brought  before  Habijah  Sav- 
age, of  Boston)  it  appears  that  no  question  was  made 
as  to  Stevens'  liability.    The  only  dispute  was  wheth- 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxriiry.  41 

er  another  party  who  had  boiii;ht  half  of  the  estate  of 
one  of  the  original  donors  was  not  obliged  to  pay  part 
of  the  rent  as  well  as  Stevens  the  other  half,  which 
he  owned ;  and  finally,  on  settlement,  the  parties  in- 
terested in  the  other  part  of  the  estate  gave  31.  to 
Stevens  and  he  assumed  payment  of  the  whole  of  the 
original  donation.  The  rents  were  collected  for 
some  time  after  this.  But  the  accounts  show  that 
they  gradually  fell  off. 

In  1752,  on  the  petition  of  some  "  it  was  proposed 
(in  town  meeting,)  whether  they  might  apply  to  the 
general  court  to  take  off  the  donations  from  the  es- 
tates doned  for  the  benefit  of  the  school  land,  and  no 
great  matter  being  said  upon  that  affair  it  was  vo- 
ted not  to  act  upon  it."  There  can  be  little  doubt 
that  as  sufficient  funds  came  in  gradually  from  other 
sources  for  the  support  of  the  school,  the  ancient  rent 
was  not  exacted.  As  estates  changed  hands  and 
were  divided  it  became  more  difficult  to  collect  it.  It 
was  probably,  quietly  abandoned  by  common  consent. 
It  is  said,  however,  to  have  been  the  opinion  of  Dr. 
Porter  that  the  rents  were  commuted  for  some  speci- 
fied amount  paid  in  full.  But  if  so  this  must  have 
been  so  recent  that  there  would  be  some  trace  of  it. 

The  rents  were  sometimes  gathered  by  a  collector 
who  went  round  for  the  purpose.  Sometimes  the 
whole  or  part  of  them  w^re  given  to  the  schoolmaster 
to  collect  for  himself  or  take  out  in  board.  In  one 
instance  in  1679  there  being  "  complaynte  that  many 
of  the  donations  are  remaining  unpaid,"  the  feoffees 
are  directed  "to  employ  one  as  Bayle  (Bailiff)  to  give 
notice  from  house  to  house  of  the  severall  Donors  of 


42  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT    I, 

the  time  and  place  of  payment,  and,  in  case  of  failure 
to  make  payment,  to  make  distress  according  to  the 
original  agreement."  No  part  of  the  agreement  was 
a  dead  letter,  and,  though  some  were  for  a  while  dis- 
satisfied under  it,  it  was  the  source  of  support  for  the 
school  for  many  years. 

The  Town  seems  determined,  from  the  first,  to  fix 
this  school  on  a  permanent  basis.  In  1662  a  meet- 
ing of  the  donors  was  called,  and  "all  the  inhabitants 
and  neighbors  of  the  town  willing  to  join  in  promo- 
ting the  good  and  benefit  of  the  schoole"  were  invited 
to  be  present.  Warning  was  given  to  all  the  Donors, 
from  house  to  house,  and  they  met  and  chose  new 
feoffees.  In  1666  a  meeting  was  called,  and  "  after 
some  discourse  it  was  thought  convenient  and  a  mat- 
ter most  tending  to  peace  and  love  to  propound  the 
case  to  the  whole  town,  that  opportunity  might  be  to 
as  many  as  thought  good  of  the  town  to  come  in  and 
joyn  in  this  work  and  to  help  bear  the  charge  so  as  to 
have  the  privilege  of  the  school — or  else  that  they 
would  present  a  better  way  and  we  would  join  them." 
The  meeting  then  adjourned,  and,  at  the  adjournment, 
*'  after  much  discourse  spending  the  day,  the  meeting 
was  orderly  dissolved  and  nothing  was  done." 

A  petition  dated  20tli  of  3d  month  1669,  signed  by 
John  Eliott  and  Thomas  Weld,  was  presented  to  the 
general  court,  reciting  that — 

"  Whereas  the  first  inhabitants  of  Roxbury  to  the  number  of 
more  than  sixty  families,  well  nigh  the  whole  town  in  those  days, 
have  agreed  together  to  lay  the  foundation  of  a  Grammar  school, 
and  for  the  maintainance  thereof  have  by  a  voluntary  donatioa 
'given  a  small  rent  forever  out  of  their  several  habitations  and 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  43 

homesteads  as  appears  in  the  records  of  our  school  book  and 
have  settled  a  company  of  feoffees— to  gather  and  improve 
the  said  rents." 

"2d,  whereas  by  divine  providence  our  first  book  and  charter 
was  burned  in  the  burning  of  John  Johnson's  house,  it  was 
again renewed  in  this  form  and  manner  as  we  do  now  pres- 
ent it,  yet  by  reason  of  the  death  of  sundry  of  the  donors  and 
the  alienations  of  tenements  we  are  under  this  defect  that  some 
of  the  hands  of  the  donors  are  not  unto  this  2d  book  personally 
which  were  to  the  first :  nor  are  they  attainable  being  dead  ; 

therefore  our  humble  request  is that  the  Honored   Court  im- 

power  the  Feoffees  to  receive  and  gather  the  same,  as  if  the 
names  of  the  donors  were  written  with  their  own  hands. 

3d,  They  also  pray  that,  whereas  there  is  a  parcel many 

years  since  given  to  our  school and  it  is  by  annexing  a  sched- 
ule to   the  will  of  the   deceased  donor  touching  a  clause  in  his 

will  which  was  not  put  in   when  the  will  was  proved the 

schedule  and  the  school's  title  to  the  lands  may  be  ratified  and 
confirmed." 

This  petition  was  referred.  The  committe'e  reported  that  "in 
the  year  1645  there  was  an  agreement  of  the  then  inhabitants  of 
Roxbury  for  the  laying  of  a  foundation  for  a  school  {ohsc7ire)  that 
the  school  {obscure)  hath  been  carried  an  end  {obs.)  on  that  foun- 
dation and   that  there  hath  not  been  any  other  foundation  {obs.) 

been  made We  find  also  that  several  of  the  inhabitants  do 

strongly  oppose  the  way  proposed  and  that  hath  been  in  practice, 
yet  do  not  find,  that  they  proposed  any  other  effectual  way  :  but 
some  of  them  desirous,  that  this  may  be  altered  {obs.)  yet  they 
declared,  that  they  feared  that,  if  the  way  that  hath  been  {obs.) 
be  wholly  waved  they  should  have  no  school  at  all  {obs.)  and  for- 
asmuch by  the  endeavours  we  have  used  to  persuade  them  to  a 
mutual  agreement  we  find  not  any  desirable  effect,  nor  that  the 
temper  of  those  opposing  the  former  foundation  is  encouraging 
{obs.)  we  conceive  that  the  petitioners  desires  be  granted  {obs.) 
that  the  present  feoffees  and  their  successors  {obs.)  be  confirmed 
and  empowered  to  collect  former  subscriptions  and  so  to  take 
others  {obs.)  and  that  those  whose  names  are  not  in  this  book 
(two  witnesses  upon  oath  appearing  to  prove  they  did  assent  to 


M  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [pART  1. 

the  way  of  the  book)  be  obliged  and  their  heirs  and  assigns  as  if 
their  names  had  been  thereto  :  we  also  conceive  that  the  land  of 
Lawrence  Whitteniore  be  confirmed  to  the  best  use  of  the  Town 
in  being  settled  upon  the  free  school." 

And  the  following  act  was  passed  at  a  general 
court  holdcn  11:3:   1670. 

"Whereas  certain  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Roxbury,  out  of  a  Re- 
ligious care  of  their  Posterity,  and  their  good  education  in  Liter- 
ature, did  heretofore  sequester  and  set  apart,  certain  sums  of 
money  amounting  to  twenty  pounds  to  be  paid  annually  unto  cer- 
tain feoffees  and  their  successors,  by  the  said  Donors  or  Feoffees 
orderly  chosen  for  the  sole  and  only  behoof  of  benefit  and  set- 
tlement of  a  Free  School  in  the  sd.  Town  of  Roxbury  :  Obliging 
themselves,  heirs.  Executors  and  Assignees  :  together  with  their 
Houses  and  Homesteads,  for  the  true  and  full  performance  of 
their  respective  Obligations — all  which  doth  fully  appear  by 
their  agreement  bearing  date  the  last  of  August  one  thousand 
six  hundred  forty-five ;  in  which  agreement  the  original  donors 
were  wisely  Suitors  to  the  General  Court  for  the  establishment 
of  the  premises  According  to  which  a  petition  was  offered  in  the 
name  of  the  present  Feoffees  to  the  General  Court  holden  at 
Boston,  May  19,  1669.  In  answer  of  which  the  Court  irapow- 
ered  a  committee  to  take  cognizance  of,  and  return  the  Case  to 
the  Court,  which  accordingly  was  done  as  appeared  by  their  re- 
turn dated  May  19,  1670.  After  serious  consideration  whereof, 
the  Court  doth  hereby  order  and  enact,  that  the  said  agreement 
made  and  signed  by  the  Donors  of  the  said  Sum  of  Money  the 
last  of  August  1645  Be,  by  our  Authority,  ratified  and  estab- 
lished to  all  Intents,  Ends  and  Purposes  therein  specified,  both 
with  respect  to  the  orderly  choice  and  power  of  the  Feoffees,  as 
also  for  the  Time  and  manner  of  payment  of  the  said  sums  of 
money  distinctly  to  be  yielded  and  payed  by  the  Donors  of  the 
same,  according  to  their  respective  subscriptions,  and  in  case  of 
refusal  of  payment  of  any  part  of  the  said  sums  of  money  to 
which  subscription  is  made  or  consent  legally  proved,  that  the 
orderly  distress  of  the  Feoffees  upon  the  respective  estates 
obliged  shall  be  valid  for  the  payment  of  any  such  sums  of 


Part  1.]  history  of  roxburv.  45 

money  so  refused  to  be  payed  :  As  also  this  Court  by  their  au- 
thority doth  settle  and  determine  the  lands  of  Lawrence  Whitta- 
more  with  all  the  rents  and  arrearages  that  have  or  may  arise ' 
from  thence  from  time  to  time,  to  be  received  and  improved  by 
the  said  Feoffees  to  the  use,  behoof,  and  benefit  of  the  Free 
School  in  Roxbury,  which  said  FeofTees  are  hereby  empowered 
for  the  ordering  of  all  things  for  the  settlement,  and  reparation 
of  the  School  house,  choice  of  masters  and  orders  of  the  School. 
To  improve  all  donations  either  past  or  future,  for  the  behoof, 
and  benefit  of  the  said  School,  without  any  personal  or  private 
respects,  as  also  the  ordering  of  twenty  acres  of  arable  land,  ly- 
ing in  the  great  lotts,  which  hath  been  in  occupation  of  the  said 
School  about  twenty  years,  as  also  that  if  for  the  necessity  and 
convenient  future  being  of  a  School  master  there  be  necessary  the 
future  levying  of  any  further  sums  of  money,  that  the  said 
Donors  be  absolutely  and  wholly  free  from  any  such  levy  or  im- 
position those  only  being  accounted  Donors  who  are  possessors  of 
or  responsible  for  the  said  sums  of  money  according  to  subscrip- 
tion, and  the  said  Feoffees  to  be  always  responsible  to  the  Court 
of  Assistants  and  Donors  for  the  faithful  discharge  of  their  trust, 
provided  there  be  constant  provision  of  an  able  Grammar-schoole 
master,  and  the  school-house  is  settled  where  it  was  first  intend- 
ed. And  may  be  accommodable  to  those  whose  homesteads  were 
engaged  towards  the  maintenance  thereof,  and  in  case  there  be 
need  of  further  contribution  that  the  levy  be  equally  made  on  all 
the  inhabitants  excepting  only  those  that  do  by  virtue  of  their 
subscription  pay  their  full  proportion  of  the  annual  charges." 

The  Free  School  continued  under  this  act  until  the 
act  of  January  21, 1789  was  passed,  incorporating  the 
Trustees  of  the  Grammar  School  in  the  easterly  part 
of  Roxbury.  Prior  to  1789  there  were  two  bodies 
the  Feoffees  under  the  old  charter,  who  had  the  gen- 
eral charge  of  the  school  and  its  property,  and  the 
Trustees  who  were  appointed  to  the  care  of  the  prop- 
erty given  by  Thomas  Bell. 


46  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

This  school  has  been  very  richly  endowed.  Most 
of  the  gifts  were  made  at  an  early  day  and  must  be 
here  noticed. 

The  "  School  land"  is  named  in  various  places  from 
about  the  period  when  the  school  was  founded,  but  to 
what  it  refers  cannot  be  determined. 

The  first  donation,  of  Samuel  Hugburne,  has  been 
already  noticed. 

Lawrence  Whittamore,  the  "  ancient  christian," 
whe  died  in  1644,  left  his  property  to  the  free  school. 
The  ancient  charter  confirmed  the  title  of  the  school 
to  it ;  it  indicates  also  the  question  there  was  about 
it.  Of  the  real  estate  given  by  him  there  was  one 
lot  on  Stony  River  of  about  four  acres,  and  another  of 
about  ten  acres  then  described  as  "  on  the  hill  in  the 
pond  lots,"  and  now  known  as  the  "  pond  hill  lot." 

About  1660,  John  Stowe  gave  three  acres  in  the 
great  lotts  **to  clear  his  house." 

Isaac  Heath,  by  his  will,  1660, 19th  of  11th,  names 
his  "  part  in  ye  4000  acres"  which  he  gives,  "  to  ye 
schoole  in  Roxburie."  His  proportion  was  a  large 
one  as  he  had,  according  to  the  account  rendered  in  to 
the  court,  in  1643,  256  acres  of  land. 

Thomas  Bell  gave  all  his  property  here,  which  was 
large,  to  the  school.  His  will  was  dated  January  29, 
1671,  and  proved  at  London  May  30th,  1672.  A 
copy  has  lately  been  procured  from  the  office  in  En- 
gland. An  extract  is  recorded  in  the  ancient  book 
belonging  to  the  first  parish,  which  is  as  follows  : 

"Imprimis,  I  give  unto  Mr.  John  Eliot,  minister  of  the  Church 
"  of  Christ  and  People  of  God  at  Roxbury  in  New  England  and 
"  Isaac  Johnson  whom  I  take  to  be  an  officer  or  overseer  of  or  in 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbdry.  47 

"  said  Church  and  to  one  other  like  Godly  person  now  bearing 
"  office  in  said  church  and  their  successors  the  minister  and  other 
"  two  such  head  officers  of  the  said  Church  at  Roxbury  as  the 
"  whole  church  there  from  time  to  time  shall  best  approve  of  suc- 
"  cessively  from  time  to  time  forever  all  those  my  messuages  or 
"  tenements,  lands  and  hereditaments  with  their  and  every  of 
•'  their  appurtenances  situate,  lying,  and  being  at  Roxbury  in 
"  New  England  aforesaid  in  parts  beyond  the  seas  to  have  and 
"  to  hold  to  the  said  officers  of  the  said  Church  of  Roxbury  for 
"  the  time  being  and  their  successors  from  time  to  time  forever, 
"  in  trust  only  notwithstanding,  to  and  for  the  maintainance  of  a 
"  schoole  master  and  free  school  for  the  teaching  and  instructing 
"  of  Poor  MeJi's  children  at  Roxbury  aforesaid  forever  and  to  be 
"  for  no  other  use,  intent,  and  purpose  whatsoever." 

There  was  some  difficulty  about  the  rents  fixed  on 
these  lands  afterwards.  A  question  also  arose  out  of 
the  form  of  the  devise,  and  at  the  general  court  May 
27,  1677— 

"In  answer  to  the  petition  of  the  Feoffees  of  the  free  school  of 
Roxbury  settled  heretofore  by  order  of  Court  in  Town  Street, 
the  General  Court  having  heard  and  seen  the  pleas  and  eviden- 
ces in  the  case,  doe,  upon  mature  deliberation,  judge  that  the  de- 
clared intent  of  Mr.  Thomas  Bell  both  in  his  life  and  at  his  death 
in  his  will  was  the  settlement  of  his  estate  in  Roxbury  upon  that 
free  school  then  in  being  at  his  death  in  said  Town." 

The  bequest  of  personal  property  by  Thomas  Bell 
was  considerable  in  amount.  The  real  estate  which 
he  devised  to  the  school  has  already  become  of  great 
value.  In  his  day  it  was  a  large  estate.  He  was 
one  of  the  wealthy  men  of  the  town.  Bell  was  a 
generous  man  and  one  of  a  liberal  mind.  He  is  the 
Harvard  of  our  Free  School. 

In  the  petition  of  1643,  he  signs  as  owner  of  166 
acres.     The  present  surveys  of  land  left  by  him  do 


48  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

not  vary  far  from  this  amount.  His  homestead  was 
in  what  in  those  dajs  was  one  of  the  best  localities 
in  town.  The  ancient  mansion  which  stands  at  the 
corner  of  Bojlston  and  School  streets,  was  built  on 
the  land  he  gave  and  nearly  in  the  very  spot  where 
his  house  stood.  His  lands  extend  from  Stony  River, 
taking  in  this  homestead,  across  School  street  and  the 
turnpike,  up  to  Back  street.  The  beautiful,  smooth, 
open  field  of  nearly  eighteen  acres,  at  the  right  of 
the  Dedham  turnpike,  on  the  brow  of  the  hill,  at  the 
corner  of  School  street,  as  you  go  towards  Boston, 
and  the  great  orchard  opposite  are  embraced  in  this. 
In  all  there  are  about  filty-six  acres  in  his  home  farm. 
Then  upon  Walk  Hill  street,  about  two  miles  and 
three-fourths  from  Washington  street  is  a  lot,  divided 
by  Walk  Hill  street,  of  forty-seven  acres.  Upon 
Beach  street,  a  little  less  than  fifty  rods  from  the 
turnpike,  there  are  two  lots,  amounting  to  about  forty 
seven  acres.  There  is  some  other  besides.  Should 
the  rate  of  increase  of  Roxbury  be  no  greater  than  it 
has  been  for  the  last  few  years.  Bell's  gift  alone 
would,  at  the  expiration  of  the  present  leases,  say  in 
the  year  1900,  be  an  immense  endowment  for  such 
an  institution  as  the  school. 

In  1756,  a  petition  was  presented  by  the  West 
Parish  concerning  the  donation  of  land  by  Bell  at 
Oxford. 

In  1671,  an  old  lease  mentions  "three  acres  lately 
Giles  Payson's"  and  "four  acres  of  land  lately  be- 
longing to  John  Stebbins."  There  is  preserved  a 
copy  of  a  deed  from  Giles  Payson  of  "three  acres  in 
the  great  lots''  "provided  the  schools  forever  remaine 


Part  1.]  history'  of  roxbury.  49 

free  and  the  donation  of  four  shillings,  be  forever 
quit."  From  the  fact  that  John  Stebins'  name,  or 
land,  is  not  in  the  subsequent  lists  of  those  liable  for 
rents,  it  is  probable  his  grant  was  made  on  a  similar 
condition. 

Some  time  before  1674-5  Samuel  Finch  gave  a 
piece  of  marsh,  containing  a  little  more  than  an  acre, 
to  the  school.  This  appears  from  the  oldest  receipt 
on  file,  of  that  date,  which  acknowledges  the  pay- 
ment of  ten  shillings  by  James  Frizzal  for  that  marsh. 
This  marsh  is  at  Gravelly  Point,  and  is  still  owned 
by  Roxbury   School. 

In  1660,  the  General  Court  Judged  it  "meet  to 
grant  to  the  Town  of  Roxbury  five  hundred  acres  of 
land  towards  the  maintainance  of  a  free  school."  The 
land,  however,  does  not  appear  to  have  been  located 
at  that  time.  In  1715,  upon  the  petition  of  Stephen 
Williams  and  others  setting  forth  the  facts,  the  gen- 
eral court  granted  "five  hundred  acres  to  the  town  of 
Roxbury  towards  the  support  of  the  free  school."  In 
1718,  Nov.  4,  the  platt  was  returned  by  sworn  sur- 
veyors and  approved.  The  land  was  laid  out  in  Ox- 
ford, Mass.  on  Chabunagungamong  pond.  The  plans 
are  still  in  existence. 

Committees  were  appointed  from  time  to  time,  lor 
various  purposes  connected  with  this  land,  from  1749 
to  1790.  Those  relative  to  lotting  out  the  lands, 
preventing  waste,  &c.,  &c.,  need  not  be  here  noticed. 
In  1767  they  voted  to  sell.  In  1770,  the  committee 
reported  that  they  had  sold  to  Rev.  Mr.  Bowman  of 
Oxford,  and  Mr.  Bellows  for  £223 :  10  :  00.  In  the 
same  year  it  was  proposed  "whether  to  give  ye  in- 
7 


50  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [pART  L 

terest  of  the  school  money  to  ye  inhabitants  at  ye 
West  end  of  the  town  and  voted  in  ye  negative." — 
From  1776  to  1788  a  committee  was  appointed  an- 
nually to  take  charge  of  the  Oxford  School  money. 
In  1790  the  money  was  paid  into  the  Town  treasury 
and  that  is  the  end  of  it. 

In  1683,  Oct.  29,  William  Mead,  by  his  will,  gave 
"unto  the  free  school  of  Roxbury  for  the  encourage- 
ment of  learning,  all  the  aforesaid  little  tenement  by 
me  purchased,  in  case  my  beloved  wife  Rebeckah 
marry  not,  my  will  is  that  after  her  decease  the  whole 
(065.)  shall  be  for  the  use  of  the  aforesaid  school  and 
managed  by  the  Feoffees  of  the  said  school  for  the 
best  advantage."  This  was  known  as  Mead's  Or- 
chard, and 'consists  of  about  one  acre  and  nineteen 
rods.  It  is  on  Warren  street  and  was  often  reserved 
for  the  school  master's  residence. 

Governor  Dudley  is  supposed  to  have  given  part  of 
the  lot,  where  the  old  school  house,  that  was  sold, 
stood,  opposite  Guild  Hall.  Both  he  and  his  de- 
scendants made  very  large  donations  to  the  school. 

Other  donations  were  made  to  the  school  besides 
those  that  have  been  noticed. 

With  such  bounties,  it  is  no  wonder  that  this  school 
was,  very  early,  one  "of  high  character"  and  "the 
admiration  of  the  neighboring  towns."  It  was  said 
by  Mather  "that  Roxbury  had  afforded  more  scholars, 
first  for  the  college  and  then  for  the  public,  than  any 
other  town  of  its  bigness  or,  if  I  mistake  not,  of 
twice  its  bigness,  in  all  New  England." 

And  the  Roxbury  Free  School,  for  the  liberality  of 
its  objects,  the  great  names  that  have  been  associated 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  51 

with  it,  and  the  actual  good  it  has  done,  as  well  as 
for  its  wealth,  deserves  an  honorable  place  amongst 
the  institutions  of  the  country.  But  these  must  be 
passed  by  now,  whilst  we  turn  over  a  iew  matters 
concerning  its  early  days. 

In  1648,  Isaac  Morrill  agreed  to  collect  the  school 
money  and  pay  it  over  to  the  schoolmaster. 

The  first  teacher  named  in  the  school  records  is 
Master  Hanford  who  agreed  for  twenty-two  pounds 
per  annum. 

The  25th  of  the  9th  month  1652,  the  feoffees 
agreed  with  Mr.  Daniel  Welde  "that  he  provide  con- 
venient benches  with  forms,  with  tables  for  the  schol- 
lars,  a  convenient  seate  for  the  schoolemaster,  a 
Deske  to  put  the  Dictionary  on  and  shelves  to  lay  up 
bookes,  and  keepe  the  house  and  windows  and  doores 
with  the  chimney  sufficient  and  proper  and  there 
shall  be  added  to  his  yearly  stijjend  due  by  the  Booke 
the  rent  of  the  schoole  land  being  four  pounds  the 
yeare.  He  having  promised  the  Feoffees  to  free 
them  of  the  labour  of  gathering  up  the  particulars  of 
the  contributions  and  they  to  stand  by  him  in  case 
any  be  refractory." 

Though  our  early  law  of  the  colony  required  each 
town  to  provide  a  school  master  to  teach  children  to 
read  and  write,  and,  when  any  towns  should  have  a 
hundred  families  or  householders,  to  set  up  a  gram- 
mar school,  there  appears  to  have  been  none  but  this 
in  Roxbury. 

In  1668,  the  Feoffees  made  an  agreement  with 
John  Prudden  as  teacher,  for  a  year,  the  terms  of 
which  arc  a  little  curious.     Master  Prudden  "prom- 


'^^2  HISTORY    OF    nOXBURV-.  [PaRT  I. 

"  ised  and  engaged  to  use  his  best  endeavour,  both  by 
"  precept  and  example,  to  instruct  in  all  Scholasticall, 
"  morall,  and  Theological  discipline,  the  Children,  (soe 
"  far  as  they  are  or  shall  be  capable")  of  the  signers 
"all  A.  B.  C.  darians  excepted." 

About  fifty  persons  signed  the  agreement. 

And  the  Feoffees,  "not  enjoyning,  nor  leting  the 
"  said  Pruden  from  teaching  any  other  children,  pro- 
"  vided  the  number  thereof  doe  not  hinder  the  profiting 
"  of  the  fore-named  youth,"  promised  to  allow  Mr. 
Pruden  twenty-five  pounds  half  on  the  29th  of  Sept. 
and  the  other  half  "to  be  payed  on  March  25,  by 
"  William  Parks  and  Robert  Williams,  their  heirs  or 
"  administrators,  at  the  upper  mills  in  Roxbury,  three 
"  quarters  in  Indian  Corn,  or  peas,  and  the  other  fourth 
"  part  in  barley,  all  good  and  merchantable  at  price 
"current  in  the  country  rate,  at  the  day  of  payment." 

It  was  "alsoe  further  added"  that  "if  any  other 
"  persons  in  the  town  of  Roxbury  shall  for  like  ends 
"  desire  and  upon  like  grounds  with  the  above-men- 
"  tioned,  see  meete  to  adde  their  names  to  this  writing, 
"  they  shalle  enjoye  the  like  priviledges." 

One  column  of  the  subscribers  was  headed 
"Gr«i/5." 

At  one  time,  probably  about  1673,  the  Bell  lands 
were  let  to  John  Gore  for  twenty -one  years,  he 
agreeing  "to  teach  the  school  or  procure  a  substitute, 
or  pay  £12  a  year  in  corn,  or  cattle,"  &c. 

In  1679,  it  was  ordered  that  "parents,  &c.,  of 
"  children  comeing  to  the  school,  whether  inhabitants 
"  or  strangers,  shall  pay  four  shillings  a  child  to  the 
*^  master  or  bring  half  a  cord  of-  good  meichantable 


PaKT  I.]  HISTORV    OF    ROXBURV.  55 

"  wood,  except  such  as  for  poverty  or  otherwise  shall 
"'■  be  acquitted  by  the  feoffees." 

In  1724  it  was  ordered  that  parents,  &c.  shall  send 
45A.  6d.  in  money  or  two  feet  of  good  wood  for  each 
child  within  ten  days  "or  the  master.to  suffer  no  such 
children  to  have  the  benefit  of  the  fire." 

In  1735  the  amount  for  each  child  was  eight  shil- 
lings or  two  feet  of  wood. 

In  1665,  the  school  house,  probably  the  first,  was 
repaired  by  Capt.  Johnson.  But  in  1666  it  was  com- 
plained of  as  out  of  repair.  In  1681  one  of  the  teach- 
ers in  a  letter  to  one  of  the  trustees  says  "  of  incon- 
"  veniences,  I  shall  instance  no  other,  but  that  of  the 
"  school  house  the  confused  and  shattered  and  nastie 
"  posture  that  it  is  in,  not  fitting  for  to  reside  in,  the 
"  glass  broken  and  thereupon  very  raw  and  cold,  the 
"  floor  very  much  broken  and  torn  up  to  kindle  fires, 
"  the  hearth  spoiled,  the  seats  some  burnt  and  others 
"  out  of  kilter,  that  one  had  as  well  nigh  as  goods 
"  keep  school  in  a  hog  stie  as  in  it."  (This  master 
was  evidently  not  restricted  to  morall,  ecclesiasticall 
and  theologicall  discipline.)  A  new  building  was 
probably  built  about  this  period. 

In  1742,  the  old  school  house  being  much  gone  to 
decay,  the  feoffees,  "with  the  help  of  many  well  dis- 
posed persons  by  way  of  subscription"  erected  a  new 
school  house.  This  was  built  of  brick,  of  one  story. 
The  second  story  was  added  in  1820.  It  was  sold  in 
1835.  When  they  built  the  brick  school  house  in 
1742  the  "Honl.  Paul  Dudley  Esquire  was  pleased  to 
bestow  for  the  use  of  said  school  a  good  handsome 
Bell." 


54  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

In  1688,  the  school  lands  were  let  at  auction  for 
five  hundred  years.  This  gave  great  dissatisfaction, 
and  it  was  alleged  that  there  was  fraud  in  the  sale. 
About  1716  a  petition  was  presented  to  the  council 
and  the  leases  of^ell's  land  were  declared  to  be  con- 
trary to  the  law  and  statutes  of  England  and  beyond 
the  power  of  the  Feoffees.  A  suit  or  suits  were 
brought  in  court.  Achmuty  and  Valentine  were 
counsel  for  the  School,  but  Gore  the  defendant  pre- 
vailed at  last,  after  the  case  had  been  appealed  and 
reviewed.  These  leases  were  finally  all  cancelled  by 
agreement. 

In  1728  the  standard  of  admission  was  raised.  In- 
stead of  excluding  only  ABCdarians,  the  order  provi- 
ded that  the  master  should  "  not  be  obliged  to  receive 
"  any  childrf^n  for  his  instruction  at  the  said  school 
"  until  such  time  as  they  can  spell  common  easy  En- 
"  glish  words  either  in  the  Primer,  or  in  the  Psalter 
*'  in  some  good  measure."  Latin  was  ordered  to  be 
taught  at  least  as  early  as  1674. 

In  1765  the  present  house  on  the  Bell  place  was 
built. 

The  early  income  of  the  School,  after  receiving  its 
various  donations,  may  be  seen  by  the  following  ac- 
count. 

''Roxbury,  7  April,  1731. 
The  profits  or  incomes  of  the  Free   School  in  Roxbury,  taken 
the  day  and  year  above  written. 

Imprimis.     Mr.  Bell's  farm  so  called — 
Ebenezer  Gore's  lease  at         ....         £30     00     00 
Ebr.  Weld         .         .         .         Lease         .         .  7     00     00 

Zach.  Smith's  lease  at 3     00     00 

Scarboro  and  Sam  Williams  (sold  since  &  money  let)  5     00     00 

45    00    00 


Part  I.J            history  of  roxrury. 

bb 

Other  school  lands — 

Joseph  Ruggles 

6 

00 

00 

Joseph  Williams 

.        4 

10 

00 

Joseph  Warren 

2 

10 

00 

John   Stowe         ...... 

.      2 

10 

00 

James  Frizzel         ...... 

• 

10 

00 

16 
.      3 

00 
00 

00 

Govr.  Dudley's  Donation  £50 

GO 

Subscriptions  collected  by 

Mr.  Dorr 

2 

02 

00 

"    Sam).  Williams          .... 

1 

16 

03 

"    Sumner         ...... 

.       1 

OS 

00 

Maj.  Bowles 

.      1 

04 

00 

Deacon  Mayo         .           .         .           .         . 

0 

19 

00 

John  Williams         ...... 

12 

OS 

45    00    00 

16     00    00 

3    00    00 

8    01     11 

72       1     11 

The  whole  amounts  to        72     1     II 
Paul  Dudley. 
From  the  year  1645  when  the  Donors  subscribed,  to  the  year 
1734,  including  only  ye  year  1733,  is  88  years. 

£   sk.     D. 
The  amount  of  the  subscriptions   being  8 — 1 — 11    pr.  ann. 

£    sh.  D, 

brings  the  subscribers  to  have  payd  712 — 8 — 8. 

Each  donor  that  pays  12sh.  pr.  annum  £       s.      p. 

has  paid  in  the  time  above-mentioned  52     16     00 

Mr.  Dudley  seems  in  the  above  account  to  have 
been  considering  the  wealth  of  the  school,  and  the 
best  mode  of  securing  its  income. 

It  is  difficult,  oftentimes,  to  trace  the  old  home- 
steads.    The  following  list  of  the  Donors  and  estates 


.56 


HISTORY    OF    UOXBURY. 


[Part  I. 


will  be  found  a  great  aid  and  a  sure  guide.  This  ac- 
count was  made  about  tiie  year  1700,  no  doubt  for 
the  purpose  of  guiding  in  collecting  the  school  rents. 
It  will  be  borne  in  nnind  that  the  names  are  given  for 
the  different  dwellings,  or  homesteads,  not  for  the  lots 
owned  by  individuals.  This  list  gives,  first,  the 
names  of  the  original  subscribers,  and  then,  when 
their  dwellings  had  changed  hands,  the  names  of  the 
occupant  in  1690  or  1700.  To  that  time  most  of 
them  can  be  traced  with  little  difficulty. 

The  sums  in  this  list  are  in  those  in  ye  former.     This  was  made 
after  Eliot's  death  in  1690. 


I 


His  excellency  ye  gov.      00 

12  00 

Mr.  Thomas  Weld  (now  Ed- 

mond) 

12  00 

Mr.  John  Eliot  now 

12  00 

Capn.    Joseph    Weld    (now 

Brumfield) 

12  00 

Hugh    Prichard  (now    Pier- 

poynt) 

12  00 

Joshua  Hews  (now  Polly) 

8  00 

John  Gore 

8  00 

John  Johnson,  now  Bowles 
*1 

William  Park,  now  Smith 

6  06 

6  06 

Isaac  Morell        "      Stevens 

6  00 

Isaac  Heath         "      Bowles 

5  06 

Thos.  Lamb         "      Aspinall 

5  00 

William  Denison 

*2 

John  Roberts,  now  Sumner 

4  00 

4  00 

*3 

William  Cheney,  now  Thomas  4  00 
John  Watson,  now  Brumfield  4  00 

*4 

John  Watson,     "     Stodman     2  00 
Danl.    Brewer,    now    Daniel 

Brewer  .         .  .        2  06 

Isaac  Johnson,  now  Seaver      2  00 


James  Astwood,  alias  Yung- 
man,  now  Stoddard  2  00 
John  Bowles,  now  Gary  2  00 
Griffin  Crafts,  now  Ruggles 

secundus  .  .  .  9  00 
John    Ruggles,    now     John 

Ruggles  sr.  .  .  .  2  00 
Robert  Willyams  now  Stevens  2  00 
John  Scarborough,  "  Samuell  2  00 


Richard    Pepper,    now    Scar- 
borough        .         .  .         2  00 

Humphrey     Johnson,      now 

J.  Williams  .  .         2  00 

Richard    Woody,     now    Mr. 

Walter         ...  01   08 

Richard  Woody  jr.    now  Mr. 

Walter         ...  01  08 

John  Woody,  now  Macarty     01  08 

Abraham  Nowell,   now  Ma- 
carty .  .  .         01  08 

Edmund   Pason,    now     Hol- 

brook         .  .  .  01  08 

Robert  Gamblin,  now  Benj.    01  08 
Thomas   Gardner,  now  Sam 

Williams        .        .        .      01  08 


Part  I.] 


HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY. 


57 


Edward  Bridge         .         .        01  00 
Abram.  How,  now  Isaac  01  00 

Gowin  Anderson,    now    As- 

pinwall         .         .         .  01  00 

*10  :  11  :  12  :  13 

Robert  Peper,  now  Pike  01  00 


[Robert  Scaver  in  original] 

*7 

Edward    Porter,    now   Mac- 
arty         .         .  .       01  03 
Christor.  Peak,  now  Dor         01  03 

*8 

Richard  Peacock,  now  Dor     01   00 

Francis  Smith,  now  John         01  00     Peter  Gardner,  now  Cheany  01  00 

*9  Lewis  Jones,  now    Ruggles 

John  Mays         .         .         .       01  00         tertius  .         .  .         02  00 

John  Hemingway         .         .    01  00 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  chief  difference  in  this  is  the  reduced  rent, 
which  occurs  as  early  as  1674  ;  the  addition  of  very  few  names ;  and  the 
omission  of  those  who,  from  their  gifts  of  land,  had  had  their  estates 
freed  from  rent,  or  from  some  other  cause,  if  there  was  any  other,  were 
exempted  from  payment  of  rent. 

*1  Thomas  Bell's  name  was  here  on  1st  list. 

*2  Philip  Eliot's  name  was  here. 

*3  George  Holmes  "  " 

M  Samuel  Finch      "  " 

*5  Giles  Payson       "  " 

*6  John  Stonnard  [but  he  did  not  sign  ye  original.] 

*7  John  Levinz  was  here. 

*8  Samuel  Morgan  was  here. 

*9  Thomas  Ruggles  "       " 

*10  Arthur  Gary  C  '\ 

*11  Edward  Bugby      J  Their    names  were  here   but  they  did    not! 

"12  Edward  White        )  sign  original  themselves.  j 

*]3  William  Levins       (^  J 

*14  John  Stebins. 

Robert  Prentise  [did  not  sign  original.] 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  earlier  teachers  of  the  school, 
with  the  dale  when  they  served, 

Philip  Eliot    ....     - 
Stowe,  probably         — 


Hansford     . 

Daniel  Weld  .     . 

MihiU     .     . 

John  Prudden 
John  Howe     . 
Thomas  Weld 
Thomas  Bernard 
Joseph  Greene     . 
Andrew  Gardiner 


Benjamin  Thompson 

John  Bowles   .     . 

1650  William  Williams 

1665  Timothy  Ruggles 

1666  Ebenezer  Williams 
1668  Increase  Walter  . 

1673  Robert  Stanton    . 

1674  Thomas  Foxcroft 
1680  Ebenezer  Pierpont 
1695  Henry  Wise    .     . 
1698  Richard  Dana      . 


1700 
1703 
1705 
1708 
1709 
1712 
1713 
1714 
1716 
1718 
1719 


y  Cou.nX  ^«-«''viw  o^t-rL  *. 


58                              HISTORY    OF 

'    ROXBURY.                 [r 

ART  1. 

Benjamin  Ruggles    . 

.     1722 

Coolidge     . 

1753 

Thomas  Weld     .     . 

1723 

James  Greaton     .     .  ■ 

1756 

Ebenezer  Pierpont    . 

1726 

John  Fairfield      .     . 

1758 

Joseph  Mayhew  .     . 

1731 

Joseph  Warren    .     . 

1760 

David  Goddard    .     . 

1733 

Ebenezer  Williams  . 

1761 

Thomas  Balch     .     . 

.     1734 

Benjamin  Balch  .     . 

.     1763 

John  Ballanline   .     . 

1736 

Samuel  Parker    .     . 

1765 

Stephen  Fessenden  . 

173S 

Oliver  Whipple  .     . 

1766 

Nathaniel  Sumner    . 

.     1740 

Increase  Sumner 

1768 

John  Newman     .     . 

1741 

Samuel  Cherry    .     . 

1770 

Job  Palmer     .     .     . 

1743 

Ward  Chipman    .     . 

1771 

Elisha  Savel  .     .     . 

1744 

Joseph  Prince      .     . 

1772 

Daniel  Foxcroft   .     . 

1745 

John  Eliot       .     .     . 

1773 

Edward  Holyoke     . 

1746 

Benjamin  Balch  .     . 

1774 

Solomon  Williams  ,     . 
Merriam     .     . 

1747 
1750 

1774 
.     1775 

Thomas  Marsh    .     . 

William  Gushing     . 

1752 

Oliver  Everett     .     . 

1776 

CHAPTER  V. 

T  01071  Government. 

At  a  court  held  in  1635,  "  it  was  ordered  that  all 
triviall  things,"  &;c.  "should  be  ordered  in  the  towns." 

The  general  laws  of  the  colony  belong  to  other 
works.  Only  those  acts  are  here  noted  which  belong 
to  the  town,  or  matters  recorded  there. 

I  have  not  been  able  to  discover  any  trace  of  the 
first  organization  of  the  town  government.  The  vote 
of  the  town  passed  about  1649,  and  which  is  still 
legible  that  "  ye  five  men  shall  have,  for  ye  present 
yeare,  full  power  to  make  and  execute  such  orders  as 
they,  in  their  apprehension,  shall  think  to  be  condu- 
cing to  the  good  of  the  town,"  indicated  that  it  was 
ot  the  simple  form  common  in  the  colony,  and  that  it 
was  distinct  from  the  parochial  or  church  government. 
The  five  men  as  they  were  called  for  many  years, 
being  styled  selectmen  afterwards,  were  chosen  annu- 
ally, by  the  body  of  the  people,  and  had  the  general 
control  of  town  affairs.  For  a  long  time  they  were 
the  only  town  officers  chosen.  Though  there  seem 
to  have  been  separate  and  distinct  bodies  to  manage 
the  affairs  of  the  town  and  those  of  the  church,  many 
matters  relating  to   parish  affairs  were  transacted  in 


60  HISTUKY    OF    ROXBURY.  [pART  1. 

the  town  meetings  and  are  recorded  in  the  town 
books,  such  as  those  relating  to  building,  repairing, 
and  arranging  the  meeting  house,  salaries  for  the  pas- 
tors, and  the  like.  The  town  was  but  one  parish. 
The  business  was  not  kept  distinct.  Very  likely  if 
the  church  had  been  organized  on  the  first  settlement 
that  would  have  been* the  only  government. 

The  colony  law  of  1631,  forbidding  any  butchurch 
members  from  becoming  freemen,  shows  that  all  had 
not  equal  privileges.  It  is  probable  that  all  were  not 
regarded  as  entitled  to  act  in  town  affairs.  In  1659, 
the  "  non  freemen  chose  Edward  Denison  to  clear 
whether  the  non  freemen  may  not  have  vote  to  choose 
commissioners  and  hee  to  see  this  cleared  the  next 
general  court." 

Somewhat  later,  a  question  was  raised  as  to  the 
right  of  any  but  original  proprietors  or  their  heirs  to 
have  a  voice  in  the  disposition  of  town  lands. 

But  in  general  the  records  indicate  that  all  matters 
promiscuously  were  brought  before  the  whole  body  of 
the  people. 

In  1652,  orders  for  the  town  were  drawn  up.  It 
was  then  ordered  "  by  the  body  that  they  be  entered 
in  ye  towne  booke  and  from  yeare  to  yeare,  ujDon 
that  day  when  the  body  meete  for  choice  of  officers 
and  selectmen  (being  concluded  to  be  in  January)  to 
be  read  over  to  the  body  which,  if  judged  by  the  town 
to  be  for  the  town's  good  they  shall  remain  in  force 
for  the  next  yeare,"  &lc. 

It  is  further  provided  "  in  case  any  person  shall, 
at  any  time,  find  himself  aggrieved  or  judge  himself 
wronged  by  any  order  or  carriage  of  the  selectmen 


Part  1.]  history  of  roxbury.  61 

such  person  shall  first  complainc  to  the  said  five  men 
and  seeke  satisfaction  of  them,  and  if  he  can,  have 
satisfaction  of  them,  and  if  not  then  to  have  liberty  to 
appeal  to  the  body  to  hear  and  decide  the  case  but  if 
such  person  complaine  causelessly  then  he  to  pay 
double  the  fine  imposed  on  him.'' 

In  1664,  three  men  were  chosen  "to  give  the  select- 
men orders  that  may  be  thought  of  for  the  selectmen 
to  consider  and  establish  for  the  good  of  the  tovvne." 

Some  of  the  earliest  fivemen,  or  selectmen,  were 


1647 — Captaine  Prichard 
Lieut,  {obscure.) 
John  {obscure.) 
John  Bowles 
Brother  Williams 


1650- 


-Heath 


Griffin  Crafts 
Dea.  Eliol 
Edward  P.  {obscure.) 
Thomas  M.  {obscure.) 

1652 — John  Johnson 
John  Ruggles 
Edward  Denison 
Griffin  Crafts 
John  Bowles 


1653— Philip  Eliot 
Isaac  Morel! 
Thomas  Welde 
Robert  Willyams 
Edward  Denison 

1654 — John  Johnson 

Thomas  {obscure.) 
John   Bowles 
Edward  {obscure) 
William  Park 

1655 — Edward  Drayson 
Isaac  Morell 
John  Ruggles 
Griffin  Crafts 
John  Pierpont 


They  attest  the  oldest  records,  where  there  is  any 
attestation. 

In  1665  the  five  men  were  allowed  £5  per  annum. 

In  1679  the  order  providing  for  their  pay  was  re- 
pealed. 

It  was  not  till  1666  that  the  town  "voted  to  choose 
a  clarke  for  the  year  ensuing  and  so  remaine  till  the 
towne  see  cause  to  alter  it.  He  is  to  keepe  the 
towne  records  and  buy  another  booke  and  have  every 
thing  exactly  transcribed  by  the  aforesaid  clarke  un- 


62  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PART  1. 

lessc  such  things  as  either  are  ridiklus  or  inconven- 
ent,"  &c.  and  that  the  selectmen  direct  what  be  wrote 
in  the  town  booke. 

Edward  Denison  was  chosen  the  first  town  clerk. 

The  general  laws  for  the  government  of  the  people 
were  enacted  bj  the  general  court.  Though  in  some 
respects  they  would  not  do  for  our  day,  they  still 
"  evince  not  only  their  acknowledged  love  of  liberty 
but  a  degree  of  practical  good  sense  in  legislation  and 
a  liberality  of  sentiment  far  greater  than  have  usually 
been  ascribed  to  them." 

Some  traces  of  these  are  found  in  town  papers. 

In  1669,  1671  and  seven,  persons  were  set  on  the 
gallows  with  a  rope  round  their  necks  and  suffered 
corporal  punishment. 

In  1671  an  Indian  was  executed  and  hung  up  in 
chains  for  murder. 

In  1673,  a  youth  of  seventeen  being  convicted  of 
the  horrible  and  abominable  crime,  and  "  being  very 
stupid  and  hard  hearted  was  excommunicated,  and  the 
beast  was  knocked  on  the  head  and  slaine  before  his 
eyes." 

Excommunication  was  a  common  punishment  for 
drunkenness  and  various  crimes. 

In  1668,  the  county  bridge  being  presented,  a  com- 
mittee was  appointed  "  for  the  substantial  erecting  ot 
"  the  bridge,  with  power  to  impresse  men  to  that 
"  worke." 

Of  the  earliest  town  laws  there  are  only  a  few 
scraps  to  be  found  on  the  decaying  part  of  mutilated 
leaves.  One  of  the  earliest  of  these  provides  for  pen- 
alties far  taking  rocks  out  of  the  highways,  and  Icav- 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbi'rv.  63 

iiig  lioles  in  the  road.  Very  careful  regulaiions  were 
made  for  preventing  fires,  each  person  being  obliged 
to  provide  ladders  to  the  top  of  his  house,  &c.  Oth- 
ers relate  to  the  feeding  at  large  of  cattle,  swine,  &c. 
In  1656,  a  law  was  made  prohibiting  turkies  from  go- 
ing at  large,  against  which  a  most  earnest  protest 
was  entered. 

In  1655,  a  bounty  of  30  shillings  was  given  for  a 
wolfs  head.  1666,  ten  shillings  were  paid  to  John 
Crafts  and  Shubael  Seaver  for  a  wolf  killing. 

The  town  passed  license  laws  quite  early.  In 
1653,  leave  was  "  given  John  Gorton  and  Robert 
Pepper  to  brew  and  sell  penny  beare  and  cakes  and 
white  bread."  In  1678,  the  town  voted  "that  no 
wine  nor  liquors  shall  be  sold  at  any  ordinary  in 
Roxbury,"  and  that  they  would  have  but  one  ordina- 
ry in  town.  In  1725,  a  fine  was  remitted  to  Widow 
Sarah  Pierpont  for  selling  drink  without  license.  In 
1730,  Mr.  Manser  "prayed  ye  towne  to  forgive  him 
ye  fine  laid  on  him  for  selling  strong  drink  without  li- 
cense and  voted  in  ye  negative."  In  1734,  it  was 
earnestly  recommended  to  the  selectmen  to  have  no 
more  taverns  or  retailers  in  the  town  than  is  abso- 
lutely necessary. 

The  town  often  passed  laws  regulating  the  prices 
at  which  grains  "should  pass  current."  Thus  in 
1667,  they  voted  that  men  should  pay  and  receive, 
Indian  at  3  sh.  a  bushel,  peas  at  3  sh.  8  pence. 
Barley  and  Malt  at  4  shillings  and  6  pence.  Rye  at 
4  shillings.  In  1672,  Rye  and  Barley  were  4  shil- 
lings. Peas  4  sh.  6d.,  Indian  3  shil.  In  1689,  Wheat 
was  5  sh.,  Barley  and  Malt  3,  6.     Indian  3  sh.,  Rye 


64  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

3  sh.,  Peas  4  sh.  Thej  were  generally  received  for 
taxes. 

The  town  was  cautious  to  prevent  being  charged 
with  any  stragglers,  and  early  made  a  law  that  "if 
any  person  admit  or  receive  any  person  or  inmate  in- 
to his  house  and  keepe  them  over  one  weeke  with- 
out leave  of  the  selectmen,  he  shall  be  fined  20  shil- 
lings, and  the  selectmen  are  appointed  to  speak  with 
some  who  have  transgressed."  And  such  warnings 
were  much  more  frequent  than  they  now  are. 

In  1733,  a  by-law  was  made  "against  running  or 
galloping  horses  in  calash,  chaise,  chair,  cart,  slay,  or 
sled  in  ye  town  from  Boston  line  to  William  Jervis, 
or  in  ye  road  to  ye  lower  county  bridge  by  ye  mills 
or  round  ye  square  by  Saml.  Williams,"  with  a  pen- 
alty of  10  shillings,  and  one  half  to  the  use  of  the 
town's  poor. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Titles  to  Estates. 

At  a  Court  of  Assistants,  on  Thursday,  May  21,  1629 — 

"The  Court,  taking  into  due  and  mature  consideration  how 
necessary  it  will  be  that  a  dividend  be  forthwith  made  of  land  in 
the  London  Plantation  in  New  England  both  for  the  present  ac- 
commodation of  the  people  lately  gone  thither,  as  well  to  build 
them  houses,  as  to  enclose  and  manure,  and  to  feed  their  cattle 
on,  have  thought  fit  and  ordered,  that  the  Governor,  Deputy  and 
Council  there  shall  make  a  dividend  accordingly  and  allot  unto 
ihe  several  adventurers  and  others,  as  followeth,  viz  : 

That  two  hundred  acres  of  land  be  by  them  allotted  to  each 
adventurer  for  £50  adventure  in  the  common  stock,  and  so  after 
that  rate,  and  according  to  that  proportion,  for  more  or  less,  as 
the  adventure  is,  to  the  intent  they  may  build  their  houses  and 
improve  their  labors  thereon. 

That  every  adventurer  in  the  common  stock,  or  his  servant  for 
him  or  on  his  behalf,  shall  make  request  or  demand  to  the  Gover- 
nor or  Deputy  and  council,  to  have  a  proportion  of  land  allotted 
unto  him  accordingly,  and  if,  within  ten  days  after  such  request 
or  demand  made,  the  same  be  not  set  out  and  allotted  unto  him 
then  such  person  or  persons  are,  by  virtue  of  this  act,  permitted 
and  authorized  to  seat  him  or  themselves,  and  build  his  or  their 
houses,  and  enclose  and  manure  ground  in  any  convenient  place 
or  places  not  formerly  built  upon  or  manured  :  provided  that  the 
land  so  made  choice  of  by  any  such  person  or  persons  do  not  ex- 
ceed in  quantity  the  one  half  of  the  land  which  is  to  be  allotted 
unto  him  or  them  by  dividend,  according  to  the  order  above  writ- 
ten ;  with  liberty  also,  when  the  first  dividend  shall  be  made,  to 
9 


66  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [pART  L 

take  his  or  their  allotment  of  land  as  others  do,  in  lieu  of  this,  if 
in  the  mean  time  the  first  choice  shall  be  disliked  by  them,  or 
any  of  them. 

And  for  further  explanation  of  thi?  act,  it  is  thought  fit,  that  if 
the  plot  of  ground  whereon  the  town  is  to  be  built  be  set  out,  and 
that  it  be  publicly  known  that  it  be  intended  for  that  purpose,  that 
then  no  man  shall  presume  to  build  his  house  in  any  other  place, 
unless  it  be  in  the  Mattachuselis  Bay, and  then  according  to  such 
direction  as  shall  be  thought  meet  for  that  place.  And  in  case 
his  allotment  for  building  his  house  within  the  plot  of  ground  .set 
out  for  building  of  the  town  be  not  appointed  unto  him  within  tery 
days  after  demand  or  request  to  the  Governor  or  the  Deputy  and 
Council  for  the  same,  it  shall  be  free  for  any,  being  an  adventurer 
in  the  common  stock,  or  his  servant  for  him  or  on  his  behalf  to 
build  his  house  in  any  place  within  the  said  plot  set  out  for  the 
town,  and  to  impale  to  the  quantity  of  half  an  acre  for  each  £50 
adventure  in  the  common  slock  :  unless  a  greater  or  lesser  pro- 
portion be  formerly  determined  by  the  Governor  and  Council,  by 
which  each  builder  is  to  be  guided  and  directed. 

It  is  further  thought  fit  and  ordered,  that  all  such  as  go  over  in 
person,  or  send  over  others  at  their  own  charge,  and  are  adven- 
turers in  the  common  stock,  shall  have  lands  allotted  unto  them 
for  each  person  they  transport  to  inhabit  the  Plantation,  as  well 
servants  as  all  others  :  which  fifty  acres  of  land,  so  allotted  to 
servants  and  others  is  hereby  ordered  to  be  set  to  and  for  the  use 
of  his  master  or  setter  forth,  being  an  adventurer  in  the  common 
stock  to  dispose  of  at  his  discretion  in  regard  the  master,  &c.  is 
at  the  charge  of  the  said  servant  and  others  their  transportation, 
wages  and  otherwise.  But  for  such  as  being  no  adventurers  in 
the  common  slock  shall  transport  themselves  and  their  families,  it 
is  ordered  that  fifty  acres  of  land  shall  be  allotted  and  set  out  for 
the  master  of  the  family,  and  such  a  proportion  of  the  land  more, 
if  there  be  cause,  as,  according  to  their  charge  and  quality  the 
Governor  and  Council  of  the  Plantation  there  shall  think  neces- 
sary for  them,  whereby  their  charge  may  be  fully  and  amply  sup- 
ported :  unless  it  be  to  any  with  whom  the  company  in  London 
have  or  shall  make  any  other  particular  agreement,  to  which  re- 
laiion  is  lo  be  had  in  such  case. 


Fart  1.]  history  of  roxburt.  67 

And  to  the  end  every  adventurer  may  the  more  safely  and 
peaceably  enjoy  their  said  lands  allotted  unto  them  or  chosen  by 
them,  and  the  houses  they  build  thereupon,  as  abovesaid,  it  is 
thought  fit  and  ordered  by  this  court,  that  conveyances  shall  be 
made  thereof  unto  each  particular  man  for  the  land  he  possesseth, 
in  the  Company's  name,  and  the  common  seal  of  the  Company  to 
be  thereunto  afHxed  by  the  Governor  and  Council  there,  at  the 
charge  of  the  Company,  which  common  seal  is  by  this  court 
thought  fit  and  ordered  to  be  committed  to  the  charge  and  keep- 
ing of  the  Governor  for  the  time  being  and  in  his  absence  to  his 
deputy  there." 

This  was  the  law  for  the  division  of  lands  in  the 
colony.  But  titles  in  the  early  times  of  the  colony 
were  not  granted,  transferred  or  evidenced  with  the 
same  formality  as  now.  Although  it  is  questionable 
whether  a  mere  note  of  a  proprietary,  or  the  body  of 
the  town,  without  any  deed  or  location  in  pursuance 
of  such  vote,  would  pass  lands  to  an  individual  at  this 
day,  "it  is  well  known  that  almost  all  the  titles  which 
have  been  derived  from  proprietors  of  townships  have 
nothing  better  to  depend  upon  than  a  vote  recorded 
in  the  proprietor's  books :  and  where  possession  was 
taken  in  conformity  to  the  vote,  and  transmitted  by 
the  grantee  to  his  heirs  or  assigns,  titles  so  acquired 
have  been  respected  and  maintained  in  our  courts  of 
law." 

Such  is  the  language  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  this 
State.  And,  considering  the  many  causes  to  render 
the  records  of  this  town  for  the  first  few  years  imper- 
fect, they  could  not  reasonably  be  expected  to  be  more 
complete  than  we  find  them.  It  is  doubtful  whether 
any  town  has  more  perfect  ones,  in  respect  to  titles. 

By  the  colony  act  of  1634,  it  was  provided  that 
the  constables  and  four  more  of  the  chief  inhabitants 


68  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  1. 

of  every  town,  to  be  chosen  by  all  the  freemen  there, 
with  the  advice  of  the  next  assistants,  shall  make  a 
surveying  of  the  houses,  backsides,  cornfields,  mowing 
grounds,  &c.  &c.  of  every  free  inhabitant,  and  shall 
enter  the  same  in  a  book  with  the  several  bounds,  and 
deliver  a  transcript  thereof  into  the  court  within  six 
months,  and  the  same  so  entered  and  recorded,  shall 
be  a  sufficient  assurance,  &c.  &c.  and  the  like  course 
shall  be  taken  for  all  such  as  shall  be  hereafter  en- 
franchised, &c. 

The  practice  in  division  of  land  seems  to  have  been, 
either  for  the  court  to  grant  land  for  individuals,  or, 
what  was  more  common,  for  the  settlers  themselves 
to  take  up  lands  for  the  first  few  years,  till  the  incor- 
poration or  grant  of  a  town,  and  after  that  time  for 
all  grants  to  be  made  by  the  towns. 

The  following  extracts  from  the  colony  records  con- 
tain the  earliest  matters  concerning  the  grant  to  the 
Town. 

1636.  Ordered,  that  all  the  rest  of  the  ground  lying  betwixt 
Dorchester  bounds  and  Boston  bounds  shall  belonge  to  the 
towne  of  Roxbury  easterly  of  Charles  River  except  the  property 
of  the  aforesaid  townes  which  they  have  purchased  of  particular 
persons,  Roxbury  not  to  extend  above  eight  miles  in  length 
from  their  meeting  house. 

1637.  Four  thousand  acres  were  granted  to  Roxbury. 

1640.  The  four  thousand  acres  to  be  set  out  in  four  places  at 
the  most. 

16th  of  3d  m.  1638.  Report  of  men  appointed  to  certify  bounds 
between  Roxbury  and  Dedham,  (together  with  the  lands  pur- 
chased by  Dedham.) 

Drew  •'  an  equal  line  of  division  by  marked  trees  and  stakes 
from  S.  E.  side  of  Roxbury  bounds  by  a  straight  N.  W.  line  run- 
ning until  it  touch  upon  Charles  River.     Furthermore,  in  consid- 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  69 

eration  of  some  streightness  at  ihe  Wesimosl  end  of  Ko.xbiiry 
bounds  by  reason  of  the  course  of  the  River  it  is  mutually  agreed 
that  a  portion  of  meadow  shall  belong  unto  Roxbury  which  join- 
eih  towards  the  northeast  upon  Roxbury  and  bounded  to  the  S.E. 
by  certain  marked  trees  from  the  line  of  division  aforesaid,  (com- 
prehending a  narrow  strip  of  upland)  unto  a  point  of  upland  on 
the  bound  of  the  marsh  and  from  thence  by  the  Nmost  point  of  a 
little  hillock  of  upland  in  the  marsh  straight  on  to  the  River. 

Edw.  Alleyn, 
Geo.  Alcock, 
John  Oliver. 

The  houudai y  of  Roxbury  and  Dedham  was  long 
unsettled.  In  1650,  a  committee  was  chosen  to  ne- 
gotiate about  it.  But  it  was  not  finally  adjusted  till 
1697. 

1639,  11th  mo.  "  A  committee  having  full  authority  from  the 
Town  to  end  all  controversee  concerning  ye  line  of  partition  be- 
tween Boston  and  Roxbury,  at  Muddy  River,  concerning  which 
some  doubt  hath  been  made,  have  agreed  that  the  trees  marked," 
&c.  "be  the  bounds." 

Will.  Colbron,      )  John  Gore,  x 

Will.  Tynge,        >  Boston.  Joseph  Weld,      (  t.„,.  „,,, 

iiT-'i-  V  TUTU  }  i^oxbury. 

Jacob  Eliot,  )  John  Johnson;      I  •' 

WiUm.  Parke,     ^ 

To  the  Honor'd  Court  assembled  at  Boston. 
1643,  S  mo.  Whereas  it  pleased  this  honored  court  some  three 
years  since  to  grant  unto  (obsaire)  certain  farmes  and  the  place 
appointed  where  they  should  lye,  which  was  between  Sudbury, 
Dedham  and  Watertown,  but  soe  that  the  bounds  of  Dedham 
were  not  layed  out  therefore  it  pleased  this  court  to  grant  them 
a  tyme  to  lay  out  their  bounds,  which  being  past,  ye  humble  pe- 
tition is  that  this  court  will  now  be  pleased  to  appoint  men  to  lay 
out  ye  farmes  according  to  the  former  grant,  &c. 

Tho.  Dudley  416 

William  Tomson  200 

Rich.  Browne  200 

Isaac  Heath  256 


70  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT    I. 


On  ihe  foregoing  is  this 

Joseph   Weld 

27S 

order. 

Richard  Parker 

436 

"  Dedham  has  3  wks.  for  to 

John  Johnson 

100 

set  their  bounds.  Then  Rox- 

Joshua  Hues 

288 

bury  to  have   the  residue  of 

Isaac  Morrill 

204 

their   4000    acres   between 

William  Park 

181 

Watertown,     Sudbury    and 

Thos.  Bell 

166 

Dedham,"  &c.  &;c. 

Mr.  Thomas  Weld 

353 

Philip  Eliot 

333 

Samuel  Hugh.* 

177 

Gorg  Holmes 

162 

John  Gore 

188 

Gorg  Alcock 

242 

William  Denison 

267 

John  Stow 

253 

William  Kane 

400 

*  This  is  doubtless  contracted  for  Hugburne. 

The  earliest  trace  met  with,  of  any  thing  relative 
to  the  town  grants,  is  in  a  deposition  of  William 
Curtis,  aged  73,  taken  in  1666,  which  states  he  "  was 
appojnted  by  ye  towne  to  be  a  measurer  to  lay  out 
severall  parcels  of  land  that  was  granted  to  sundry  in- 
habitants and  amongst  them  a  piece  of  meadow  grant- 
ed to  John  Compton,  then  an  inhabitant  of  Roxbury. 
It  was  bounded  south  and  east  all  along  by  the  brooke 
and  north  by  land  of  John  Freeborne."  These  names 
are  early  ones.  Compton  was  a  freeman  in  1634. 
The  fact  that  the  deposition  of  an  old  man  was  re- 
quired to  be  taken  shows  that  the  allotment  was  an 
ancient  one.  Probably  the  lots  surveyed  were  among 
the  earliest  town  grants.  On  the  first  page  of  Town 
Records  (almost  illegible)  is  a  vote  to  allot  to  those 
who  pay  town  rates  out  of  the  town  lands  not  dis- 
posed of.     (1647.) 


Part  I.]         '  history  of  roxbury.  71 

The  town  continued,  for  many  years,  to  make 
grants  to  individuals,  without  compensation,  and  on 
these  many  titles  in  the  town  depend.  They  are 
generally  entered  with  little  formality,  often  giving 
merely  the  number  of  acres,  without  any  boundary. 
In  several  instances  conditions  are  annexed  to  the 
grants,  so  that  on  breach  of  those  conditions  the  land 
will  revert  to  the  town. 

In  1648,  a  grant  of  six  acres  was  made  to  William 
Lyon,  afterward  six  to  George  Brown,  six  to  John 
Stebbin,  and  so  on  to  others,  forming,  when  all  col- 
lected together,  a  long  list,  extending  over  nearly  a 
hundred  years,  which  is  too  long  to  be  here  inserted. 
In  soQie,  the  locations  can  be  traced,  but  not  in  many. 

In  1655,  a  grant  was  made  to  Tobias  Davis  of  six 
or  seven  acres  for  a  corn  mill  and  fulling  mill. 

In  1675,  the  clay  pitts  were  granted  to  Ralph 
Hemingway. 

The  grant  to  John  Grosvenor  at  the  bridge  and 
old  mill  was  "for  liming  leather,  in  fee,  and  not  to 
sell  but  for  said  use  and  to  be  forfeit  if  it  damage  the 
water  for  cattle  or  man." 

Joseph  Peak  had  a  grant  at  Hog's  Bridge  "for 
dressing  wash  leather." 

A  grant  was  made  to  Moses  Draper  near  Stony 
River  bridge,  by  Dedham  road,  for  a  blacksmith's 
shop,  to  him  and  his  successors,  for  this  use  and  no 
other. 

Some  of  these  grants  are  on  condition  that  the  lots 
be  built  on  within  a  certain  period. 

Quite  a  list  of  those  who  lived  on  the  street  can 
be   formed   from  the  grants   of  lands  "back  of  their 


72  IIISTOKY    OF    ROXBURY.  PaRT  I.] 

houses    to    the    brooke,"      Smelt   Brook    or    Town 
Brook. 

The  town  vote  for  all  the  inhabitants  to  render  in 
an  account  of  their  lands  to  be  recorded  and  a  tran- 
script of  the  record  to  be  returned  into  court,  which 
was  the  origin  of  "The  Ancient  Transcript,"  written 
by  Goodman  Denison  and  certified  by  the  five  men, 
has  been  already  given. 

This  transcript  would  probably  be  deemed  sufficient 
evidence  of  title.  The  only  difficulty  in  tracing  titles 
by  it  is  the  want  of  courses  and  distances,  the  mere 
names  of  abuttors  being  given,  because  of  the  lands 
having  been  divided  in  several  allotments,  each  per- 
son owning  many  lots  in  various  parts  of  the  town. 
The  homesteads,  however,  may  be  traced,  and  with 
sufficient  pains,  probably  most  of  the  lots. 

In  1662,  the  town  voted  that  no  more  land  be 
given  away,  but  that  it  be  kept  for  the  town's  use. 
This  vote,  however,  was  not  observed. 

In  1692-3,  the  selectmen  were  directed  to  consult 
authority  and  obtain  their  judgment  concerning  the 
right  proprietors  of  the  common  lands.  Some  claim- 
ed that  they  belonged  to  the  first  proprietors  and  not 
to  the  body  at  large. 

The  Town  had  various  grants  of  land  made  to  it 
by  the  Legislature.     Some  have  been  named. 

In  1733,  there  was  a  vote  of  the  town  to  get  the 
general  court  to  lay  out  "the  balance  of  the  4000 
acres  because  Dedham  shortens  us." 

In  1736,  the  records  were  inspected  and  directions 
given  to  the  representative  concerning  that  grant. 

In  1715,  on  petition  of  Stephen  Williams  and  oth- 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxburt.  73 

ers,  500  acres  were  c:ranted  to  the  town  towards  sup- 
port of  the  free  school. 

1683.  was  2;ranted  from  Massachusetts  a  tract  seven 
miles  square  at  Quatosset,  called  also  "  the  grant  of 
land  in  the  Nipmuck  country,"  from  the  Indian  tribe 
of  that  name.  This  was  afterwards  called  New  Rox- 
bury,  and  is  now  Woodstock  in  Connecticut.  It  was 
at  lirst  supposed  to  be  in  Massachusetts.  The  grant 
was  on  condition  of  settling  within  two  years,  and 
"  maintainino;  amongst  them  an  able  and  orthodox 
godly  minister." 

The  selectmen  first  sent  out  three  men,  (John  Rug- 
gles,  John  Curtis  and  Isaac  Morris,  as  appears  by  the 
bills  paid  them,)  who  reported  that  "  at  Sencksuk  and 
Wapagusset  the  lands  afforde  encouragement  for  set- 
tlers," and  then  the  town  provided  a  field  and  allo^v- 
ed  any  men  to  go  to  view  the  lands,  at  their  own 
charge.  In  1685,  the  town  "  voted  cleare  to  treat 
with  Mr.  Stoughton  and  Mr.  Dudley,  guardians  to 
Josiah,  grandson  of  Chickatabut,  the  well  known  sa- 
chem, to  obtain  the  Indian  or  natives  right."  In 
1687-8,  the  town  paid  Jos.  Dudley  £10  for  the  pur- 
chase of  the  natives  right  to  the  township. 

In  order  to  settle  this  place,  the  town  voted  that 
"  if  thirty  men  should  hand  in  their  names  to  the  se- 
lectmen to  settle  them,  they  shall  have  one  half  of 
the  whole  tract  in  one  square  at  their  selection,  the 
town  to  assist  said  planters  and  settlers  with  £100,  to 
be  paid  in  small  sums  in  five  years,  and  to  be  laid  out 
in  public  buildings  as  the  old  town  ot  Roxbury  shall 
determine,  the  rest  of  the  inhabitants  to  have  the  re- 

10 


74  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

maining  half,  and  the  settlers  to  be  free  from  the  rate 
to  raise  the  £100." 

The  affairs  of  this  place  fill  the  records  for  quite  a 
number  of  years.  The  lands  were  finally  divided  in 
proportion  to  each  man's  head  and  estate,  the  castle 
soldiers  and  troopers  being  added,  and  all  such  as 
were  over  sixteen  years  of  age.  The  allotments  and 
divisions  are  given  at  .length  in  the  Roxbury  records, 
which  contain  the  first  history  of  the  town.  Very 
many  ol  the  inhabitants  of  Woodstock  are  descended 
from  the  first  settlers  of  Roxbury. 

This  copy  of  a  letter  from  the  selectmen  of  Wood- 
stock to  those  of  Roxbury,  may  be  worth  preserving. 
"  1694,  Dec.  18.  Gentlemen,  we  understand  by 
"  Capt.  Chapen  that  you  are  dissatisfied  upon  a  re- 
"  port  that  ye  town  had  preferred  a  petition  to  ye 
"  Hartford  Court,  designing  to  wrong  you.  As  you 
"  desire  to  be  informed  whether  it  was  a  town's  act 
"  or  particular  men's  act,  we  can  assure  you  it  was 
"  by  no  town  voate  or  act,  nor  yet  by  order  of  the 
"  selectmen.  It  was  done  by  some  particular  per- 
"  sons.  And  we  do  not  know  that  they  intended  you 
'*  any  harm. 

"  This  with  our  love  and  service  to  you  is  from 
"  your  loving  friends, 

Benj.  Sabins, 
John  Butcher, 
John  Carpenter, 
Edvvd.   Morris, 
John   Holmes." 


.  CHAPTER   VIL 

Miscellaneous. 

1636.     The  Roxbury  people  worked  on  the  forti- 
fication at  Cornhill.  (Boston.) 

1646.  "This  year,  about  the  end  of  the  5th 
month,  we  had  a  very  strong  hand  of  God  upon  us, 
for  upon  a  suddaine,  innumerable  armys  of  catterpil- 
lars  filled  the  country  all  over  all  the  English  planta- 
tions, which  devoured  some  whole  meadows  of 
grasse,  and  greatly  devoured  barley,  being  the  most 
grown,  and  tender  come,  eating  off  all  the  blades 
and  beards,  but  left  the  corne,  only  many  ears  they 
quite  eat  off  by  eating  the  green  straw  asunder  below 
the  eare,  so  that  barley  was  generally  half  spoiled  ; 
likewise  they  much  hurtwheate,  by  eating  the  blades 
off,  but  wheate  had  the  lesse  hurte  because  it  was  a 
little  forwarder  than  barley,  or  harder  and  dryer,  and 
they  lesse  meddled  with  it.  As  for  rye,  it  was  so 
hard  and  near  ripe,  that  they  touched  it  not.  But 
above  all  grains  they  devoured  oats.  And  in  some 
places  they  fell  upon  indian  corne  and  quite  devoured 
it,  in  other  places  they  touched  it  not.  They  would 
crosse  highways  by  1000. 

Much  prayer  there  was  made  to  God  about  it,  and 
fasting  in  divers  places,  and  the  Lord  heard,  and  on  a 


76  HlSTORIf    OF    ROXBtfRY.  [PaRT  I. 

suddaine  took  them  all  away  again  in  all  parts  of  the 
country,  to  the  wonderment  of  all  men.  It  was  the 
Lord,  for  it  was  done  suddainely." 

1646.  "This  winter  was  one  of  the  mildest  we 
ever  had  ;  no  snow  all  winter  long  ;  nor  sharp  weath- 
er. We  never  had  a  bad  day  to  goe  preach  to  the 
Indians  all  this  winter,  praised  be  the  Lord." 

1647.  The  same  yeare  "a  greate  sicknesse  epi- 
demical did  the  Lord  lay  upon  us,  so  that  the  great- 
est part  of  the  towne  was  sick  at  once,  whole  fami- 
lies ,sick,  young  and  old,  none  escaping,  English  or 
Indian. 

"  The  nature  was  a  cold,  &c.  • 

"  God's  colds  are  teaching.  This  epidemicall  sick- 
nesse of  cold  doth  rightly,  by  a  divine  hand,  tell  the 
churches  what  their  epidemical  spirit  disease  is. — 
God  help  us  to  see  it:  and  to  have  such  colds  in  the 
height  of  the  heat  of  summer,  shows  us  that,  in  the 
height  of  the  means  of  grace^  peace,  liberty  of  ordi- 
nances, &c.,  yet  may  we  then  fall  into  malignant 
colds,  apostacys,  and  coolings.  And  this  is  remarka- 
ble that,  tho  few  died,  yet  some  died,  and  those  were 
the  choycest  flowers  and  most  gracious  saints." 

1661-2.  "A  synod  at  Boston.  The  questions  dis- 
cussed were — 

1.  Who  are  the  subjects  of  Baptism.  • 

2.  Who  according  to  Scripture  ought  to  be  a  con- 
sociation of  churches  and  what  is  the  name  of  it." 

1662.  "It  pleased  God  this  spring  to  exercise  the 
country  with  a  severe  drought,  but  some  were  so  rash 
as  to  impute  it  to  the  sitting  of  the  Synod.  But  God 
was  pleased  to  bear  witness  against  their  rashness. 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxijurit.  77 

For  no  sooner  was  the  Synod  met,  June  10,  but  they 
agreed  to  set  the  next  day  apart  to  ask  God's  favora- 
ble presence  and  to  ask  rain ;  and  the  day  following, 
God  sent  raine  from  heaven." 

1663.  Jan.  26,  an  earthquake  occurred. 

1664.  Nov.  17,  a  comet  was  seen  and  its  position 
is  described.     March  11,  another  comet  was  seen. 

1665.  Another  earthquake  is  spoken  of. 

1666.  The  town  paid  for  diet  and  attendance  of 
a  lame  Indian  £1:6  sh. 

The  same  year,  they  paid  "for  match  and  bullets 
for  the  town,  also  for  bisket  and  the  Indian's  bed," 
&c.,  and  further  "for  ringing  ye  bell,  expenses  about 
a  lame  Indian  and  for  soldiers  that  were  pressed  to 
the  castle." 

1 667.  "1 1  th  month  4th  day.  T^ere  were  strange 
noises  in  the  air,  like  guns,  drums,  vollies  of  greate 
shotte,"  &c. 

1667.  "12th  month  29th,  appeared  a  coma,  or 
blazing  stream,  which  extended  to  a  small  star  in  the 
river  Eridamus,  but  the  star  was  hid  by  reason  of  its 
proximity  to  the  sun." 

1668.  The  town  paid  for  "carriage  of  the  Greate 
Gunne  and  for  warders  on  election." 

This  year  the  inhabitants  were  prohibited  digging 
any  more  clay  at  Boston  Gate.  The  reason  was  that 
the  town  was  indicted  that  year  for  digging  up  the 
highway  at  the  gate  and  paid  for  it. 

There  was  the  shock  of  an  earthquake  felt  this 
year.  And  in  the  3d  month,  16th  day,  prodigies 
were  seen  in  the  heavens  the  night  before  the  Lord's 
day. 


7B  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [l*ART  1. 

1678.     The  small  pox  raged  terribly. 

1688.  The  town  chose  Samuel  Ruggles  and  Na- 
thaniel Hohnes  representatives,  and  instructed  them 
to  do  "what  they  can  to  establish  a  government  for 
the  present  as  the  general  assembly  shall  think  for 
public  good."  But  afterwards  they  voted  that  "they 
desire  the  Governor,  deputy  and  assistants  sworn  in 
1686  to  remain." 

1691.  "The  old  Watch  House"  is  named  "in  the 
towne  street,"  and  provision  was  made  for  a  new  one 
on  the  meeting-house  hill,  and  another  at  the  plain, 
and  the  town  granted  to  John  Howard  "the  old 
Watch  House,  &c.,  fifty  foot  back  towards  the  brook, 
for  that  he  will  build  the  new  one,  he  to  dig  for  foun- 
dations, &c.,  and  to  lay  a  good  substantial  w^all  of 
stone  two  feet  thjck,  in  clay,  and  pointed  within  and 
without,  walls  to  be  six  feet  high  by  thirteen  feet 
long  by  eleven  feet  wide  inside  and  a  brick  chimney 
at  one  end,  and  cover  the  roof  with  deal  boards  and 
shingles,  and  to  provide  a  stout  door  and  lock  and 
key."  But  the  tovi^n  did  not  build  this.  A  new  one 
was  built  on  the  town  street  and  another  at  the  plain, 
a  few  years  after. 

1693.  Edward  Weld  was  chosen  clerk  of  the 
market. 

1696.  The  Representatives  to  general  court  were 
paid  18  pence  a  day  in  money  or  corn  at  the  rate. 

1681.  The  town  paid  Ensign  Davis  four  shillings 
and  six  pence  for  work  about  the  meeting  house  and 
"cage."  The  cage  was  then  common  for  punish- 
ment, but  has  given  way  to  houses  of  correction,  &:c. 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxhury.  79 

or  jails.     The  word  jail   is  said   to  be  derived  from 
tlie  old  name  of  the  cage. 

•   1631.     Wheat  meal  cost  fourteen  shillings  a  bushel, 
peas  eleven  and  sixpence,  &c. 

1633.  There  was  a  scarcity  of  corn,  but  people 
lived  well  with  fish  and  the  fruits  of  their  gardens. 

1634.  Corn  was  four  shillings  the  bushel,  some 
at  three,  and  some  cheaper. 

1634.  Cattle  were  high.  A  good  cow  25/.  or 
30/.  A  pair  of  bulls  or  oxen  40/.  Corn  was  five 
shillings  a  bushel.  Carpenters  had  three  shillings 
the  day.     Board  was  nine  or  ten  shillings. 

1643.  There  was  a  long  cold  and  wet  time,  and 
it  caused  a  great  scarcity  of  corn,  and  in  every  town 
many  families  had  to  live  on  fish,  muscles,  &c. 

In  1640-1,  there  was  a  change  in  public  affairs  in 
England,  which  so  affected  things  here  that  a  cow 
which  the  year  before  was  worth  20/.  coidd  not  then 
be  sold  for  more  than  4/.  or  5/.,  and  nobody  could 
pay  his  debts.  This  caused  the  colony  to  send  out 
agents,  of  whom  Mr.  Weld  w^as  one. 

In  1645,  in  a  deed  from  John  Stonehead  to  Thomas 
Dudley,  two  oxen  are  valued  at  15/.  ready  money. 

In  1646,  a  cow  brought  4/.,  a  cow  and  calf  6/.,  a 
yoke  of  oxen  14/. ;  English  wheat  was  worth  four 
shillings  a  bushel,  peas  three  shillings  eight  pence, 
rye  three  shillings  six  pence. 

In  1651,  a  cow  was  worth  5/.,  a  yoke  of  oxen  16/. 
a  horse  16/. 

In  1658,  a  cow  was  worth  31.  to  4/.,  a  yoke  of  oxen 
10/.,  a  horse  13/.,  Indian   corn  was  at  two  shillings 


30  HISTORY    OF    ROXBL'RY.  [PaRT    1. 

per  busllel,  malt  at  four  shillings,  butter  was  five 
pence  a  j)ound,  cotton  cloth  sold  for  three  shillings. 

In  1683,  a  cow  brought  2/.  to  3/.,  sheep  5  shillings 
a  head,  butter  three  pence. 

In  1658,  twelve  acres  of  land  on  Stony  River  was 
worth  48/.,  land  at  Gravelly  point  was  held  at  50/. 
per  acre. 

In  1661,  land  at  Roxbury  Gate  (next  Boston)  was 
valued  at  61.  an  acre. 

In  1668,  nine  acres,  *'  as  you  go  to  Boston,"  was 
valued  at  100/.,  and  four  acres  at  Pine  Island  at  40/. 

In  1683,  six  acres  of  pasture  on  the  south  side  of 
the  Great  Hill  was  worth  24/.,  four  acres  of  marsh  in 
the  Island  at  38/.,  two  of  fresh  meadow  at  Bare 
marsh,  8/. 

In  1697,  thirteen  acres  of  plow  land  in  the  calve's 
pasture  was  worth  120/. 

Wampumkeage,  or  Wampum,  is  frequently  named 
in  the  old  lists  of  estates. 

People  were  well  supplied  with  arms.  For  in- 
stance, in  the  parlor  of  Isaac  Morrill,  were  hung  up  a 
musket,  a  fowling  piece,  three  swords,  two  belts  of 
bandoleers,  a  pike,  a  half  pike  and  a  corslett. 


CHAPTER    Vlll. 

Ancient  Localities. 

Various  localities  are  constantly  named  and  referred 
to  in  ancient  documents.  Some  of  these  will  be 
found  useful   in   tracing  out  titles  and  estates. 

Boston  Gates  were  at  the  line.  Boston  Neck  ex- 
tended from  this  line  one  mile  and  thirty  nine  yards 
to  the  fortification,  built  of  brick,  with  a  ditch,  where 
there  were  two  gates,  one  for  foot  passengers  and  one 
for  carriages.  They  were  originally  for  defence. 
Those  at  Roxbury  line  were  probably  of  similar  char- 
acter, though  less  strong. 

Clay  Pits.  These  were  near  the  street,  where  the 
town's  people  used  to  dig  clay  for  various  purposes. 
They  were  East  of  Roxbury-street  and  North  of  Dud- 
ley-street. In  1675  the  town  granted  them  to  Ralph 
Hemingway.  An  indictment  was  once  found  for  dig- 
ging up  clay  at  Boston  gate. 

The  Landing  Place.  Some  care  must  be  taken 
not  to  be  misled  by  this  name.  There  were  two  land- 
ing places.  When  what  is  now  the  empty  basin  and 
the  back  bay  was  full,  the  town  had  one  on  the  north 
of  the  meeting  house  hill.  The  other  was  at  the 
point  that  extends  down  to  the  wharf,  »!  the-moutl<i«e'£» 
Stot>^T»Rivor»» 

a 


82  IFISTORV    or    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

Gravelly  Point,  was  the  point  that  runs  out  into 
the  bay  at  the  moutli  of  Stony  River,  towards  Cam- 
bridge. 

Bass  Point,  is  a  name  met  with  for  the  ^g\n  first 
years. 

Mills.  A  water  mill  was  built  at  Roxbury,  in 
1633,  by  one  Dummer.  I  have  seen  two  depositions 
taken  in  perpetuam,  in  1702,  of  William  Gary,  then 
aged  75,  and  John  Ruggles  sr.  aged  70,  in  which  they 
say  that  they  remember  that  fifty  years  before  then 
the  tide  mill  was  "  Baker's  Mill,"  and  so  called,  and 
that  father  Baker  bought  a  piece  of  land  for  gravel  on 
the  other  side  of  the  creek,  and  that  ever  since  their 
remembrance  Thomas  Lamb  and  his  successors  had 
enjoyed  the  lane  towards  the  mill,  maintaining  a 
good  and  sufficient  gate  somewhere  in  the  lane.  This 
was  in  the  east  of  the  town.  Traces  of  a  mill  still 
remain  near  Parker  street.  In  1684,  the  interest  of 
Thomas  Baker  (the  son  of  John)  "  in  the  irons, 
stones,  land  and  privilege  of  the  old  tide  mill  in  part- 
nership," was  valued  at  £15. 

In  1655,  leave  was  granted  to  John  Johnson  and 
others  to  set  down  a  mill,  &c.  in  or  near  the  place 
where  the  old  mill  stood,  provided  they  maintain  a 
cart  bridge  sufficient  for  the  town. 

In  1656,  liberty  was  granted  to  John  Pierpont  for 
setting  a  Fulling  mill  on  Stony  River. 

In  1663,  an  "old  mill"  is  named  which  stood  on 
Stony  River,  near  the  place  where  the  Providence 
railroad  crosses  Tremont  road,  and  is  now  known  as 
,,,\Y.ait's  mill.  ... 

There   was  a  very  ancient  mill   built  to  grind  for 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  83 

Roxbury  and  Boston,  (i.  e.  Brookline  or  Muddy  River, 
then  part  of  Boston,)  which  stood  at  the  northeast 
corner  of  Jamaica  pond,  at  tlie  outlet;  many  okl  i)a- 
pers  are  met  with  relative  to  it,  and  the  drawing  ofif 
the  pond.  Farther  up  in  town  was  a  saw  mill,  on 
Saw  Mill  Brook. 

Muddij  River,  was  tiie  water  which  still  stands  in 
Brookline,  near  the  Punch  Bowl. 

Stony  River,  is  the  stream  that  runs  by  Wait's  mill, 
and  the  corner  of  Centre  street,  under  Hog's  bridge. 
There  was  a  weir  here  in  1631. 

Smelt  Brook,  runs  under  the  roads  at  the  foot  of 
Dudley  and  Washington  streets,  between  Guild  Hall 
and  the  Universalist  church.  Mr.  Young,  the  com- 
piler of  the  Massachusetts  chronicles,  probably  came 
out  some  hot  dusty  afternoon  to  find  it,  and  not  seeing 
any  thing  like  it  there,  concluded  it  must  be  the 
brook  "  between  the  town  and  Dorchester ;"  but, 
though  it  is  hid  by  the  great  thoroughfares  that  pass 
over  it,  it  was  once  a  considerable  stream,  and  there 
was  once  a  large  watering  place  there.  This  was  al- 
so once  known  as  "  The  Brook,"  and  the  "  Town 
Brooke,"  &c.  The  stream  that  divides  the  town  from 
Dorchester  was  called  "  Dorchester  Brooke." 

Saw  Mill  Brook,  is  the  stream  you  first  cross  as 
you  come  from  Spring  street  church  towards  the  Plain, 
by  the  upper  road. 

The  Great  Hill,  is  now  known  as  Parker's  Hill,  as 
w^ell  as  by  its  ancient  name. 

The  Great  Pond,  is  Jamaica  Pond. 

Clapboard  Hill,  is  the  name  of  the  large  hill  in  tiie 
^uth   part  of  the  town,  l.»etween   Muddy    pond  aud 


P»4  HfSTORY    OF    K0X131JKY.  PaKT  I.J 

Flaggy  meadow.  It  was  also  known  as  "Flax  Hill." 
One  might  think  there  would  be  little  danger  of  such 
places  being  forgotten,  and  that  there  could  hardly 
be  any  question  about  their  identity ;  but  as  long  ago 
as  1728,  the  depositions  of  some  Connecticut  people 
were  taken  to  fix  the  location  of  this  hill.  The  pres- 
ent name  is  said  to  have  been  given  from  some  clap- 
boards having  been  burned  there. 

fValk  Hill,  still  bears  the  ancient  name.  On  an 
old  plan  I  find  the  name  of  Pig's  Walk.  There  was 
a  hill  which  for  the  first  fifty  years  was  called  Pig's 
Hill.     It  may  be  the  same. 

The  Training  Place.  The  Old  Training  Place  is 
named  in  the  Ancient  Transcript.  In  1631  the  court 
ordered  that  on  the  first  Thursday  of  every  month 
there  should  be  a  general  training  of  captain  Under- 
bill's company  at  Roxbury  and  Boston.  This  must 
have  been  a  famous  place  in  those  days.  Training 
meant  something  then.  The  Training  field  was  east 
of  the  street,  or  Roxbury  Street,  and  contained  seven 
acres  or  more,  extending  along  where  Warren  and 
Washington  streets  unite.  The  Town  had  only  a 
right  in  it  for  training;.  In  1762  thev  sold  that  to 
Joseph  Weld. 

The  Common  lay  south  of  the  road  leading  to  Dor- 
chester. "  Common  Lands"  are,  however,  not  to  be 
confounded  with  this.  They  are  often  named  in  an- 
cient deeds,  and  refer  to  lands  in  the  several  divisions 
which  had  not  then  been  allotted.  Twenty  eight 
acres  of  the  Town  Common  was  sold  to  Joseph  Wil- 
liams  in  1763,   for  £1431  16  shillings.     The  wood 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxburv.  85 

then  sold  for  £1787  osh.  2d.     Fiftj  four  acres  were 
sold  in  1812. 

Remington'' s  Paradise^  was  on  the  road  to  Brook- 
line,  near  what  is  now  called  Parker  Street.  This 
name  occurs  in  1653,  and  was  given  for  the  owner. 
There  is  a  place  there  still  known  by  the  name  of 
Paradise. 

Sprinor  Street  was  named  in  1690.    ' 

Jamaica  Plain.  The  following  account  of  this 
name  is  given  by  the  late  pastor  of  the  church  at  the 
Plain.  "Jamaica  Plain,  from  its  proximity  to  the 
pond,  was  originally  called  '  Pond  Plain.'  How  it 
changed  its  name  has  never  been  really  ascertained. 
There  are  many  legends  upon  this  inquiry,  but  none 
of  them  entirely  satisfactory.  One  is,  that  it  was  so 
baptized  in  consequence  of  gentlemen  from  Jamaica 
spending  their  summers  there  ;  which  circumstance, 
if  true,  might  at  once  account  for  it.  But  it  cannot 
be  ascertained,  that  any  other  than  Timothy  Penny, 
Esq.  who  came  to  this  country  not  earlier  than  1767, 
ever  had  a  residence  here  ;  whereas  Hugh  Thomas, 
April  7th,  1677,  ninety  years  previous,  conveyed  his 
property  for  the  benefit  of  a  school  '  to  the  people  at 
the  Jamaica  end  of  the  town  of  Roxbury.' 

"  Another  more  probable,  but  not  altogether  satis- 
factory account  is,   that  a  gentleman  by  the  name  of 

,  from  some  unknown  cause,  disliking    his  wife, 

quitted  London,  informing  her  that  he  was  going  to 
Jamaica  on  business.  Hearing  nothing  from  him  for 
a  very  long  period,  she  at  length  embarked  for  Ja- 
maica, in  expectation  of  finding  him  there.  But,  to 
her  great  surprise,  she  could  not  learn  that  he  had  ev- 


86  HISTORY    OF    ROXnURY.  [pART  I. 

er  been  at  the  Island.  And  a  vessel  from  that  place 
going  direct  to  Boston,  she  took  passage,  arrived  safe, 
and  having  frequently  related  the  circumstance,  at 
length  obtained  accidental  intelligence  that  an  En- 
glishman had  for  some  time  past  been  residing  with  a 
poor  family  in  Roxbury,  '  at  the  Pond  Plain  ;'  where, 
most  unwelcomely  to  himself,  she  actually  found  him. 
The  story  of  his  saying  he  was  going  to  Jamaica,  was 
so  often  and  ludicrously  told,  that  the  inhabitants  de- 
risively, at  first,  called  it  Jamaica  Plain,  which  name 
it  has  since  retained. 

"'  The  last,  and  to  me  most  probable  accoimt  1  have 
heard  was,  that  the  Indians,  who  at  that  time  were 
numerous  here,  used  frequently  to  go  to  the  street  in 
Roxbury  for  rum,  and  having  accidentally  met  with 
some  Jamaica  spirit,  that  greatly  pleased  them,  they 
would  afterwards  inquire  for  it,  saying  "  Indian  love 
Jamaica  ;"  in  consequence  of  which,  the  retailers  cal- 
led them  'Jamaica'  folks  or  Indians;  from  which  cir- 
cumstance, the  name  became  gradually  familiar,  and 
all  the  inhabitants  of  this  part  of  the  town  at  length 
acquired  the  name  of  '  Jamaica'  Plain  people,  instead 
of  Pond  Plain,  as  they  had  been  usually  called  be- 
fore." 

But  it  seems  hard  to  say  which  of  them  is  most  im- 
probable, or  to  see  what  basis  of  fact  the  two  last  ac- 
counts, or  the  last  especially,  have  more  than  the  first. 
If  it  is  certain  that  gentlemen  from  Jamaica  did  not 
make  this  loveliest  of  spots  their  summer  residence  in 
1677,  it  is  just  as  certain  that  there  was  no  poor  fam- 
ily for  a  nameless  London  gentleman  to  live  with  ; 
"all  the  peo})lc  oi' Ro.\bury  were  very  rich,''  and  this 


Part  !.]  history  of   koxijuky.  87 

lady  who  was  never  heard  of  before  or  since,  uould 
hardly  have  named  it  Jamaica,  from  all  the  concern 
that  place  had  in  her  affairs.  Furthermore,  it  does 
not  appear  that  the  Indians  here  were  numerous,  at 
any  time,  or  that  they  used  to  go  often  to  the  street 
for  rum.  It  is  altogether  likely  from  Eliot's  princi- 
ples and  influence  and  care  for  the  natives,  and  the 
persons  who  traded  in  town,  that  Roxbury  Street  was 
the  last  place  an  Indian  would  go  to  for  any  thing  of 
the  sort. 

The  name  was  well  known  in  1677.  It  was  writ- 
ten Jamaco,  Jemaco,  and  Jameco.  The  name  Jama- 
co  End  was  used.  "  Pond  Plain"  does  not  appear  to 
have  been  the  earliest. 

Weedy  Plain  was  at  the  west  part  of  the  town. 

Squirrels  Delight^  was  near  Quenecticote  lane,  by 
Jamaica  pond,  towards  Brookline. 

Pine  Island,  was  towards  Dorchester,  in  the  bay ; 
"  on  the  river  that  leads  to  Dorchester  tide  mill," 
where  the  magazine  is. 

The  Wolf  Traps  were  towards  Dorchester. 

The  Foxholes  were  west  of  Back  or  Walnut  street. 

Totman^s  Rocks,  or  Tatman's,  were  near  the  cor- 
ner where  the  pump  stands  at  the  corner  of  Centre 
and  Cross  streets.  The  name  was  from  John  Tot- 
man,  who  lived  there. 

The  Calves^  Pastures  were  on  the  road  to  Dor- 
chester.    They  embraced  some  marsh  land. 

The  Thousand  Acres  were  next  to  Dedham,  and 
are  explained  in  connection  with  the  town's  bounda- 
ries. 

Gamblin''s  End,  was  near  School  street,  near  Stony 


<j!>  HISTOHY     OF    ROXBl'llY.  [PaRT    I. 

River.  The  naino  was  pmhahlv  given  from  Robert 
Gamblin,  who  lived  n^^xt  to  Thomas  Bell,  on  what  is 
now  School  street. 

The  "  Salt  Panns''''  were  at  the  east  end  of  the 
town,  towards  the  bay  next  Dorchester. 

The  Nooks,  are  v^rj  often  referred  to  in  old  docu- 
ments, and  often  create  perplexity.  I  find  the  name 
was  used  for  certain  points  of  land,  or  knolls,  that 
made  out  into  the  meadows  near  the  streams,  and  the 
nooks  next  Dorchester  and  those  on  Stony  River  are 
named.  The  name  now  conveys  quite  a  different 
id<ea. 

Rocky  Swamp  it  is  hard  to  identify.  Several  roads 
in  diiTerent  parts  of  the  town  lead  to  "Rocky  Swamp." 
The  chief  one  extended  from  what  is  now  known  as 
Tommy's  Rock,  up  to  Stony  River,  through  the  val- 
ley. The  road  from  Philip  Eliot's,  through  Gamblin's 
End,  led  to  Rocky  Bottom. 

Pritchard^s  Island  was  a  marsh,  at  the  mouth  of 
Stony  River.  From  an  old  deed  executed  by  five  of 
the  chief  men  ot  the  town,  as  "  atturneyes"  of  Hugh 
Pritchard,  granting  to  a  large  number  of  individuals 
various  portions  of  this  marsh,  it  appears  that  this  is 
"  an  island  now,  by  reason  of  the  creeke  that  hath 
been  digged  between  the  same  and  the  land  of  John 
Johnsons,"  and  with  the  land,  part  of  this  creek  was 
granted. 

"  Black  NecW  is  a  name  which  occurs,  the  place 
is  not  known. 

Haeburn^s  Neck.  In  1694,  the  town  voted  "that 
the  lane  which  goeth  out  of  the  highway  to  the  tide 
mill  and  leadeth  downe  toward  Gravelly  Point,  be- 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  '         89 

tween  the  land  of  the  heirs  of  Mr.  Samuel  Danforth 
and  those  of  Mr.  Haeburn,  commonly  called  Mr.  Hae- 
burn's  Neck,  should  be  lajed  open  from  the  said  high- 
way to  the  tide  mill,"  &c. 

Dudleys  Necky  was  north  of  the  road  leading  to 
Brookline. 

Bear  31ars/i,  or  Bare  Marsh.  The  highway  which 
led  "  from  the  Dedham  road  at  Policy's,"  (the  corner 
at  Mr.  Stephen  M.  Welds',)  "  by  Mr.  John  Welds," 
(the  street  now  South  street,)  led  to  a  bear  marsh, 
which  was  off  at  the  south  of  the  Plain,  towards  Dor- 
chester and  Milton.  It  embraced  the  meadows  upon 
the  head  waters  of  Stony  River. 

Meeting  house  Hill  is  where  the  first  church  stands. 
Meeting  house  Lane  is  that  part  of  Washington  street 
which  leads  up  to  it. 


12 


CHAPTER    IX. 

Accounts  of  the  first  settlers.,  their  families,  residences,  <fc. 

This  contains  every  name  in  the  town  to  the  year 
1650,  so  far  as  they  are  recorded  in  the  various  rec- 
ords of  births,  deaths  and  marriages  of  the  town,  and 
the  first  parish. 

George  Abbot  married  Mary  Chandler,  Dec.  12,  1646.  This 
is  probably  the  one  named  by  Farmer  as  having  come  from  York- 
shire and  settled  in  Andover  in  1647,  and  married  Hanna 
Chandler. 

Mr.  George  Alcock  came  with  the  first  company  to  Roxbury  in 
1630.  He  was  deacon  of  the  church  and  representative  to  the 
first  General  Court  in  1634.  His  son  John,  who  was  born  in 
England,  came  out  with  his  father,  and  graduated  at  Harvard 
College  in  1646.  He  was  a  physician.  Deacon  George  had 
son  Samuel,  born  1637,  April  16.  His  homestead  of  five  acres 
was  south  of  Governor  Dudley's,  fronting  east  on  the  highway, 
and  west  on  the  meeting  house  common.  He  died  December  30, 
1640.  He  had  a  brother  Thomas,  who  was  one  of  the  first  men 
in  Dedham.  His  sister  married  Edward  Porter.  "When  the 
people  of  Rocksbrough  joyned  to  the  church  at  Dorchester  until 
such  time  as  God  should  give  them  opportunity  to  be  a  church 
among  themselves,  he  was  by  the  church  chosen  express  to  be  a 
deacon  to  regard  the  brethren  at  Rocksbrough."  "He  made  two 
visits  to  England  upon  just  calling  thereunto."  "He  lived  in  a 
good  and  godly  sort  and  left  a  good  savor  behind  him,  the  poor 
of  the  church  much  bewailing  him." 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  91 

John  Alcock  had  twins,  Ann  and  Sarah,  born  May  26,  1650. 
Joanna  died  1649,  August  5.  In  1668,  Doctor  Alcock  bought  a 
house  and  eighteen  acres,  close  to  the  church,  of  John  Pierpont. 

Henry  Archer  married  Elizabeth  Stow,  in  1639.  She  was 
daughter  of  John.  Henry  Archer  may  have  been  the  one  at 
Ipswich,  in  1641. 

James  Asttoood  came  in  1637.  His  wife  was  named  Sarah. — 
He  had  James,  born  Nov.  29,  1638 :  John,  born  Sept.  20,  1640, 
died  March  15,  1644:  John,  born  March  7,  1641  :  Joseph,  born 
Nov.  19,  1643:  Joseph,  Nov.  10,  1644:  Sarah,  born  Jan.  10, 
1646  :  Mary,  born  Dec.  21,  1647.  He  was  dismissed  to  Boston. 
His  homestead,  was  next  to  Philip  Eliot's,  west  of  Stony  River, 
and  contained  four  acres.  After  his  death  in  1654,  his  estate 
was  declared  insolvent. 

Thojnas  Baker,  whose  wife  was  Elizabeth,  had  children,  John  : 
Sarah,  wife  of  Jabez  Jackson  :  Marya,  wife  of  Roger  Adams  : 
Elizabeth,  born  Oct.  2,  1641  :  Joseph,  born  Feb.  24,  1647:  his 
house  lott  of  one  half  an  acre  was  next  the  land  belonging  to  the 
mill  which  he  owned — he  died  in  1683.  His  will  says  he  was 
*'old  and  blinde."  His  father  was  John  Baker,  who  was  freeman 
in  1634. 

Gregory  Baxter,  freeman  in  1631 ;  had  Baihesbie,  born  June, 
1632:  Abigail,  born  Sept.  1634:  John,  born  Dec.  1,  1639. 

Thomas  Bell  came  in  1635,  was  made  freeman  in  1636  ;  he 
had  Sarah,  born  1640  :  John,  born  1643,  died  1643,  4ih  month. 
His  homestead  was  on  School  street,  then  the  road  to  Gamblin's 
end.  His  old  house  was  torn  down  in  1765,  and  the  present  one 
built  in  1768,  at  the  corner  of  Boylston  street.  His  will  is  dated 
January  29th,  1671,  and  was  proved  May  30,  1672.  He  left 
Roxbury,  had  letters  of  dismission  in  1654,  and  died  in  England, 
but  will  be  remembered  as  long  as  the  free  school  endures,  for  he 
gave  to  it  all  his  property  here,  a  bequest  which,  at  the  time  was 
a  very  great  one,  and  which,  with  its  accumulations,  now  renders 
this  institution  one  of  the  most  richly  endowed  in  the  country. 
A  few  more  such  would  have  made  this  school  a  college. 


92  HisruRY  Oh   RoxBURY.  [Part  L 

George  Brand  married  Malhew  Heath  in  1643,  his  house  lot 
of  one-half  an  acre  was  bounded  "one  side  on  Stony  River,  and 
every  way  else  on  the  common;" 

Daniel  Bruer,  or  Brewer,  was  freeman  in  1634  ;  he  had  a  son 
Nathaniel,  born  May  1,  1635:  Sarah,  born  March  8,  163S.— 
Another  son  of  his  died  in  1646.  His  son  Daniel  graduated  a.t 
Harvard  College  in  1687,  and  was  a  minister  at  West  Springfield. 
He  died  in  1689,  at  the  age  of  84.     George  Brewer  died,  1646. 

Edward  Brigge,  or  Bridge,  or  Bridges,  was  freeman  in  1639 ; 
he  had  Thomas,  born  May  31,  1638.  He  died  in  1683,  aged  82. 
He  lived  on  the  Dorchester  road,  west  of  George  Holmes',  where 
he  had  eight  acres. 

John  Bowles,  or  Bowelis,  was  freeman  in  1640.  He  was  for  a 
long  time  one  of  the  most  important  men  in  town  affairs,  being 
one  of  the  feoffees  of  school,  and  often  one  of  the  five-men.  He 
was  ruling  Elder  of  the  church.  In  1689-90,  he  was  Speaker 
of  the  Court.  He  lost  his  wife,  Dorothy,  in  1649.  In  1649,  he 
married  Elizabeth  Heath.  He  died  in  1691.  He  had  a  daugh- 
ter Elizabeth,  1650. 

John  Burrell,  whose  wife  was  Sarah,  had  a  daughter  Sarah  in 
1634. 

Thomas  Bumstead,  whose  wife  was  Susan,  brought  two  small 
children,  Thomas  and  Jeremiah,  Anna  was  born  Jan.  20,  1639, 
Hannah  in  1641,  Mary  in  1642,  Gerard  in  1643.  He  was  dis- 
missed to  Boston,  and  died  1677. 

Edivard  Bugby,  or  Boogby — Joseph,  born  June  6,  1640.  An 
infant  born  and  died,  1642.  His  property  in  1668  was  invento- 
ried and  appraised  at  £336:  06:  06.  The  home  lot  of  three  acres 
with  his  house,  which  was  on  the  right  of  the  way  to  the  great 
lotts  was  valued  at  £100. 

Robert  Burnet  lost  a  child  in  1642. 

Edward  Blacksley,  a  widower,  died  in  1637.  His  daughter 
Sarah  died  in  1638. 

Jerauld  Bourne  had  Jerauld,  born  August  6ih,  1643. 


Part  l.]  histoky  of  roxijuhy.  93 

Ann  Brabrook,  an  old  woman,  died  !\Iay  liO,  1(348. 

ArtJair   Cary,    which  may  have  been  also  written    Gary,  had 

son  Samuel  born    Sept.  22,    163S.     He  died  in    1666.     He  had 

other  children,   William  and  Nathaniel.     His  wife's   name  was 
Frances. 

William  Chandler  came  in  1637.  He  brought  with  him  from 
England  his  wife  Hannah,  and  four  small  children,  Thomas, 
Hannah,  John  and  William.  He  was  made  a  freeman  in  1640, 
and  died,  the  next  year,  of  consumption,  "  a  godly  christian." 

Edimind  Chamberlain  married  Mary  Turner  in  1646.  The 
same   name  occurs  in  Chelmsford. 

Richard  Chamberlain  owned  a  house  and  half  an  acre  next 
Rev.  Jno.  Eliots.     The  same  name  is  found  at  Braintree. 

Samuel  Chapin.  His  wife  was  Sisly.  His  name  is  met  with 
at  Springfield. 

William  Chase  came  in  1630,  and  brought  with  him  his  son 
William.     He  removed  to  Sciiuate,  and  afterwards  to  Yarmouth. 

Benjamin  Child.  His  name  occurs  in  1648.  He  had  land  in 
town  and  his  name  is  in  the  Transcript,  but  he  belonged  to 
Muddy  River.  In  1672,  he  was  one  of  those  there  who  contri- 
buted for  building  the  church.  His  wife  Mary  was  admitted  to 
the  church  in  1658. 

William  Cheany,  Cheney,  or  Chcny,  came  in  1635,  with  his 
wife  Martha,  and  his  children,  Mary,  Martha,  John,  and  Daniel  ; 
had  a  son,  John,  born  Sept.  29,  1639  :  Mehitable,  born  June  1, 
1643  :  Joseph  was  born  June  6,  1647.  He  died  in  1666,  aged 
63.     His  property  amounted  to  £886:  01:  04. 

John  Carman  came  in  1631,  with  Florence,  his  wife.  His  son 
John  was  born  in  16.33,  Caleb  in  1639. 

James  Clarke.  His  children,  Elizabeth  and  IMary,  were  bap- 
tized June  8,  1645  ;  Martha,  born  April  25,  164S  :  Hatnia,  burn 
Dec.  23,  1619. 


94  HISTORY    OF    KOXBUKY.  [PaRT  I. 

Robert  Cole  came  in  1640,  wiih  the  first  company.  He  was 
one  of  the  two  that  were  chosen  in  1632,  from  each  town,  to  con- 
fer with  the  assistants,  &c.  He  was  made  freeman  in  1631.  He 
removed,  probably  to  Ipswich. 

Philip  Corey  married  Mary  Scarboro,  Oct.  1,  1647. 

StocMah  Coddington.  His  wife,  "an  anlient  woman,  not  of 
this  church,"  died  in  1644. 

William  Coy  married  Grace  Newell,  Sept.  14,  1644. 

Griffin  Crafts  was  son  in  law  of  John  Kuggles.  His  son 
John's  birth,  July  10,  1630,  is  the  first  recorded  in  the  town. — 
Mary,  was  born  Oct.  10,  1632:  Abigail,  xMarch  18,  1634  :  Samuel, 
Dec.  12,  1637  ;  Moses,  April  28,  1641.  He  was  lieutenant,  rep- 
resentative from  1663  to  1667,  five  years,  and  often  selectman 
and  concerned  in  Town  affairs.     His  descendants  are  numerous. 

William  Curtis^  with  his  wife  Sarah,  was  here  March,  1632-3, 
when  he  was  a  freeman.  They  brought,  from  England,  with 
them,  Thomas,  died  1652;  Mary,  John,  and  Philip.  They  had 
born  here,  Hannah;  Elizabeth;  and  Isaac,  born  1642.  Their  old- 
est son  William  came  out  the  year  before  them.  "  He  was  a 
hopefuUe  schollar,  but  God  took  him  in  1634."  His  homestead 
of  ten  acres  was  bounded  south  on  Stony  River,  north  on  R.  Pep- 
per, west  on  J.  Ruggles  and  John  Totman,  east  on  George  Brand. 
This  has  never  been  alienated  from  the  family.  It  is  now  occu- 
pied by  Mr.  Isaac  Curtis,  the  sixth  in  lineal  descent  (the  oldest 
of  each  generation  having  borne  the  same  name)  from  William's 
youngest  child.  It  is  the  old  place  just  beyond  the  railroad  cros- 
sing on  the  right  of  Boylston  street  as  you  go  towards  the  Plain. 
One  of  his  descendants  in  1721  bought  a  horse  and  negro  and  set 
up  farming,  and  was  the  first  man  who  carried  vegetables  to  town 
in  a  cart,  instead  of  panniers. 

John  Dane  married  Ann  Cluuidlcr  in  1613,  and  died  1658, 
leaving  his  wife  and  children,  Francis,  Elizabeth  (How)  and 
John. 


PaUT    I.]  HfSTORY    OF    ROXI.HRY.  95 

WiUiam  Davis  was  here  in  1642,  had  son  John,  born  Oct.  1, 
1643:  Samuel,  born  Feb.  21,  1641.  His  wife  died,  165S.  He 
died  in  ltJS3,  aged  66.     John  and  William  died  in  1706. 

Tobias  Davis  married  Bridget  Kinman  in  1649,  and  died  in 
1690.  He  had  a  daughter  Sarah,  born  Feb.  10,  1646.  His  first 
wife,  Sarah,  died  in  1648. 

William  Deiiison  was  freeman  in  1632.  He  brought  over  his 
wife,  and  sons  Daniel,  aged  about  20,  Edward  and  George, 
younger.  He  was  a  representative  in  1635,  to  the  general  court. 
In  1646,  he  lost  his  wife.  He  died  in  1653,  "an  old  man."  He 
was  one  of  those  dismissed  in   1637,  for  their  opinions. 

Daniel  Denison,  his  son,  was  a  famous  man  in  those  days. — 
He  married  Patience  Dudley,  a  daughter  of  Thomas,  the  Gover- 
nor, at  Newtown,  and  joined  the  church  there,  and  went  to  Ips- 
wich. He  was  a  military  man,  and  held  almost  all  ranks,  up  to 
Major  General.  He  represented  the  town  for  many  years  in  the 
court,  was  one  of  the  assistants  for  twenty-nine  years,  and  for 
two  years  a  speaker  of  the  house.     He  died  in  1682. 

Ediimrd  Denison  was  disarmed  in  1637,  made  freeman  in  1648. 
He  married  Elizabeth  Weld  in  1641.  Had  Elizabeth,  born  Aug. 
8,  1642.  A  child  named  for  John  died  in  1643;  John  was  born 
1644;  Edward  died  1645;  Joseph  died  1649;  Jeremiah  born  in 
Dec.  1647,  died  in  May,  1649.  He  was  a  representative  three 
years,  and  died  in  1668.  He  lived  on  Stony  River.  His  estate 
was  valued  at  £1227:05:00. 

George  Denison  was  born  in  1621.  In  1647  he  was  a  captain 
in  Roxbury.  He  was  a  freeman  in  1648.  He  is  named  as  "a 
young  soldier  lately  come  out  of  the  wars  in  England."  He  mar- 
ried Bridget  Thomson,  1640.  His  wife  died  1643.  He  had  a 
daughter  Sarah,  born  March  20,  1641,  and  Hannah,  born  May 
20,  1643,  and  a  son  John,  born  July  16,  1646.  He  removed  to 
Stonington.  In  Philip's  war  he  was  a  bold  and  distinguished 
leader.  In  1676,  with  sixty-six  volunteers  and  one  hundred 
Christian  Indians,  he  slew  seventy-six  of  the  enemy  without  the 
loss  of  a  man,  and  took  prisoner  Quanoiichet,  the  Narragansett 
Indian,  whom  his  Indians  beheaded. 


9G  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

''OM  Mothrr  Bniison''  came  in  16312,  and  died  in  1645. 

Henry  Dlngham  married  Elizabeth  xAilcock  in  1641. 

Mr.  Richard  Dnmmer  was  the  one  who  built  a  mill  soon  after 
the  settlement  of  the  town.  He  is  said  to  have  been  a  very  rich, 
and  very  benevolent  man.  He  removed  to  Newbury.  He  was 
here  in  1632. 

Rev.  Samuel  Danforth  was  born  in  England  in  Sept.  1626, 
and  came  to  this  country  in  1634,  with  his  father  Nathaniel.  He 
graduated  at  Harvard  College  in  1643,  was  ordained  minister  of 
the  church  September  24ih,  1650,  and  died  November  19th,  1674, 
at  the  age  of  48.  He  was  teacher  from  the  time  when  he  gradu- 
ated till  his  settlement.  In  Mr.  Dunster's  account  is  one  item  of 
£56  \3sh.  8d.  paid  Samuel  Danforth,  as  Reader  and  Fellow,  for 
six  years.  He  was  one  of  the  Fellows,  in  the  College  Charter  of 
1650,  and  seems  always  to  have  taken  deep  interest  in  its  wel- 
fare. 

It  is  said  that  he  "  wrote  as  a  scholar,"  and  "  was  very  affec- 
tionate in  his  manner  of  preaching,  and  seldom  left  the  pulpit 
without  tears"  He  was  learned  in  the  sciences  and  theology. 
That  part  of  the  diary  of  the  Pastors  which  he  wrote  indicates  the 
interest  he  took  in  astronomy,  by  its  frequent  descriptions  of  the 
appearances  of  various  phenomena,  and  of  the  situations  and 
movements  of  heavenly  bodies.  He  published  an  account  of  the 
comet  of  1664,  which  probably  led  Mather  to  mention  that  "  his 
astronomical  composures  saw  the  light  of  the  sun."  From  1664 
to  1670,  the  diary  is  filled  with  descriptions  of  prodigies,  earth- 
quakes, comas,  &c.     His  election  sermon  in  1670  was  published. 

In  1657,  Mr.  Danforth  bought  of  Anthony  Stoddard  and  wife 
the  estate  which  formerly  belonged  to  Capl.  Joseph  Weld,  for 
which  he  paid  £180. 

Mr.  Danforth  married  the  daughter  of  Rev.  Mr.  Wilson  of  Bos- 
ton, in  1651.  They  had  twelve  children,  some  of  whom  were 
distinguished.     He  was  honored  with  a  Latin  epitaph,  viz: 

Nou  dubium,  quin  eo'  iverit,  quo  stellae  cunt 
Danforthus,  qui  stellis  semper  se  associavit. 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  9T 

Thomas  Dudley  came  over  in  1630,  in  the  Arabella,  with  Win- 
throp.  He  did  not  settle  here  at  first,  though  he  came  quite  early 
and  settled  in  the  town,  and  his  family  have  been  amongst  its 
most  prominent  citizeris.  He  was  born  in  1674,  at  Northampton, 
in  England.  His  father,  captain  Roger  Dudley,  was  "  slaine  in 
ye  warres,"  in  battle,  when  Thomas  was  very  young.  "But  God 
took  him  up  when  he  was  forsaken,  and  stirred  up  some  special 
friends  who  took  care  of  him  in  childhood." 

It  is  said  that  some  unknown  person  left  him  £500,  and  that  a 
Mrs.  Pufroy,  a  widow,  noted  for  her  piety  and  works  of  charity, 
took  an  interest  in  him,  and  by  her  care  he  got  some  little  educa- 
tion, and  was  taught  Latin  and  grammar. 

He  was  afterwards  page  to  the  Earl  of  Northumberland,  in 
whose  family  he  learned  "  courtship  and  whatever  belonged  to 
civility  and  good  behaviour." 

He  then  became  clerk  to  Judge  Nichols,  a  connection  by  his 
mother.     In  this  position  he  acquired  some  knowledge  of  the  law. 

When  only  twenty  years  old,  he  had  become  well  known  about 
Northampton,  for  his  wit,  mettle  and  spirit,  and  Queen  Elizabeth 
gave  him  a  captain's  commission.  He  raised  a  company  of  eighty 
men  and  went  over  to  France  under  Henry  IV.  In  1597,  he  was 
at  the  siege  of  Amiens,  but  the  treaty  being  concluded  before  he 
had  had  any  fighting,  he  returned  home. 

At  this  time  there  were  several  eminent  Puritans  preaching  in 
that  neighborhood,  whom  he  often  heard.  Under  their  influence 
the  character  of  Dudley  was  fixed,  and  some  new  elements  were 
developed  in  it  which  changed  its  aspect  altogether.  His  high 
spirits  showed  themselves  in  his  religious  zeal. 

Soon  after  this  he  became  steward  to  the  Earl  of  Lincoln,  Thc- 
ophilus,  whose  affairs  he  managed  for  about  ten  years.  The 
Earl's  affairs  were  much  involved.  There  were  heavy  debts  up- 
on the  estates,  and  a  great  deal  of  business  to  be  done  which  re- 
quired not  only  energy  and  activity,  but  labor,  prudence  and 
judgment.  In  this  office  Dudley  met  with  complete  success,  as 
is  shown  by  the  situation  of  the  Earl's  affairs  when  he  left  him, 
and  by  the  fact  that  he  always  retained  the  esteem  and  respect  of 
the  family.  He  was  the  executor  of  Johnson,  the  Earl's  son  in 
law. 

13 


98  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  !. 

But  his  desire  for  a  less  laborious  business,  together  with  his 
religious  opinions  induced  him  to  hire  a  place  at  Boston,  where 
he  could  be  under  Mr.  Cotton,  with  whom  he  became  very  inti- 
mate. He  did  not  remain  long  here,  however,  before  at  the  pres- 
sing call  of  the  Earl  of  Lincoln,  he  again  consented  to  take  the 
management  of  his  affairs,  and  he  remained  with  him  till  he  came 
to  New  England. 

The  first  connection  of  Dudley  with  the  Massachusetts  colony 
was  when  the  Boston  men  promised  "  to  adventure  £400  in  the 
joint  stock  of  the  company,  but  aftei  wards  that  ten  persons  at  leasS 
should  underwrite  £25  each,  and  to  adventure  themselves  £250, 
and  to  provide  able  men  to  send  over  to  manage  the  business." 
His  name  first  occurs  at  the  meetings  of  the  general  court  towards 
the  last  of  that  year.  In  October  he  was  chosen  one  of  the  com- 
mittee for  the  planters.  In  December  he  was  chosen  one  of  the 
undertakers.  He  was  chosen  one  of  the  assistants,  and  when 
aboard  the  Arabella,  at  the  last  meeting  held  in  England  by  the 
company,  it  being  found  that  Humphrey  who  had  been  chosen 
deputy  Governor  could  not  come,  Dudley  was  chosen  deputy 
Governor  in  his  place- 
He  was  then  about  fifty-six  years  old,  but  very  strong  in  body 
as  well  as  mind.  He  had  amassed  some  property,  and,  what  was 
of  more  moment,  had  had  his  character  developed  and  nerved  by 
long  and  varied  experience,  and  by  the  very  life  that  would  seem 
to  be  the  fittest  path  for  one  to  take  who  was  to  enter  upon  the 
duties  that  were  before  him.  Till  his  death  he  was  one  of  the 
governing  minds  of  the  colony.  He  always  held  one  of  the  high- 
est offices. 

Dudley  brought  with  him  to  this  country  his  wife  Dorothy  and 
his  children,  Samuel,  born  in  1606,  a  minister,  who  married 
Mary  Winlhrop ;  Anne,  the  wife  of  Governor  Bradstreet ;  Pa- 
tience, wife  of  General  Denison  ;  Mercy,  wife  of  Rev.  Jno.  Wood- 
ridge  ;  another  who  married  Major  Keayne  ;  and  Dorothy. 

He  first  went  to  Newtown,  which  is  now  Cambridge,  it  being 
agreed  that  the  town  and  settlement  should  be  there.  But  when 
that  arrangement  was  broken  up,  he  went  to  Ipswich  ;  but  he  re- 
mained there  only  a  short  time,  and  from  that  place  came  to  Rox- 
bury,  where  he  settled,  and  the  family  still  remains.  He  built 
upon  the  west  side  of  Smelt  Brook,  just  across  the  watering  place. 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  99 

at  the  foot  of  the  hill  where  the  road  that  runs  up  to  the  first 
church,  joins  the  Town  Street.  His  house  was  nearly  opposite 
the  apostle  Eliot's,  and  stood  where  the  Universalist  meeting  house 
now  stands.  His  old  well  is  now  there.  There  was  a  breast 
work  thrown  up  on  the  same  place  in  the  revolution. 

We  may  judge  of  Dudley's  character  from  his  course  in  the 
colony.  In  April,  1632,  he  left,  one  day,  before  the  court  was 
over,  and  sent  in  a  letter  of  resignation,  which  the  governor  and 
assistants  refused  to  receive.  In  May,  they  had  a  meeting  to 
consider  the  matter.  Dudley  then  said  that  he  resigned  to  keep 
peace,  for  he  felt  bound  in  conscience  to  speak  his  mind  freely 
and  that  gave  offence,  and  he  had  moreover  the  right  to  do  so 
when  he  pleased.  The  governor  and  some  others  then  took  him 
to  do  for  some  bargains  he  had  made  with  some  poor  men  of  his 
congregation,  to  whom  he  sold  seven  and  half  bushels  of  corn  be- 
fore the  harvest,  to  receive  ten  for  it  after,  which  they  argued  was 
oppressive  usury,  within  the  meaning  and  letter  of  the  statute. 
Dudley  held  it  was  lawful,  and  he  and  the  governor  had  high 
words,  and  finally  he  told  the  governor  plainly,  if  he  had  thought 
he  had  sent  for  him  to  his  house  to  give  him  such  usage  he  would 
not  have  come  there,  and  that  he  never  knew  any  man  of  under- 
standing, of  any  other  opinion,  and  if  he  thought  otherwise  of  it, 
it  was  his  weakness.  The  Governor  then  charged  him  with  ex- 
travagance, in  wainscotting  and  adorning  his  house,  in  the  outset 
of  their  settlement,  alleging  that  they  needed  all  funds  and  the 
example  was  bad.  Dudley  replied  he  only  put  on  the  clapboards 
in  form  of  wainscot,  and  he  did  it  for  warmth,  &c.  They  finally 
held  that  he  could  not  resign,  and  he  continued  in  office.  In  Au- 
gust, again,  when  complaint  was  made  of  the  governor  for  remov- 
ing his  house  from  Watertown,  Dudley  showed  his  character. 
He  began  by  asking  what  authority  the  governor  had  more  than 
any  assistant  save  to  call  meetings,  and  affirmed  that  he  had 
none.  But  the  governor  giving  a  reply  that  he  had,  that  wound- 
ed Dudley ;  he  told  the  governor  that  if  he  was  so  round,  he 
would  be  round  too.  The  governor  bade  him  be  round  if  he 
would.  He  sprang  up  in  great  rage  and  fury.  The  governor 
grew  hot  also,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  they  were  pacified  by 
the  interference  of  mediators.  Then  Dudley  asked  by  what  au- 
thority the   governor  removed  the  ordinance  and  built  a  fort  at 


100  HISTORY    OF    ROXBfJRY.  pART  I.J 

Boston  ;  by  what  right  he  lent  powder  to  Plymouth  ;  or  gave  the 
Watertown  people  leave  to  erert  a  weir  on  the  river;  by  what 
right  he  licensed  Ratclif  and  Gray  to  stay  in  the  colony,  and  why 
he  did  not  collect  fines.  The  governor  answered  all  these  char- 
ges. He  also  recriminated.  Such  scenes  show  what  Dudley 
was. 

In  1634,  Dudley  was  chosen  Governor)  and  was  Governor  for 
three  years,  in  1634,  1640,  and  1645.  He  was  deputy  thirteen 
times.  In  1635,  he  was  chosen  one  of  a  commission  to  frame  a 
body  of  laws  for  the  colony.  In  1643,  he  was  appointed  commis- 
sioner to  frame  articles  of  confederation  between  the  colonies. 
In  1644,  he  was  chosen  Major  General. 

He  lost  his  wife  in  1643.  In  1644,  April  14,  he  married  Kath- 
arine Hugburne,  who  had  considerable  property. 

Dudley  was  a  thrifty  man,  and,  though  somewhat  advanced  in 
years,  a  very  enterprising  one.  He  became  one  of  the  largest 
land  holders.  He  was  a  trading,  money  getting  man.  From  the 
nature  of  the  securities  met  with,  and  the  records  of  the  levies  he 
made,  we  may  suspect  there  was  some  truth  in  the  charges 
against  him,  and  that  he  really  was  somewhat  hard  and  prone  to 
usury.  The  court  granted  to  him  in  1632,  two  hundred  acres  of 
land  on  the  west  side  of  Charles  river,  over  against  the  new  town, 
and  in  1634,  five  hundred  acres  about  the  falls,  on  the  east  side 
of  Charles  river.  There  he  started  the  mills,  and  made  money 
out  of  them.  In  1636,  they  granted  to  him  a  thousand  acres, 
"  wherever  it  may  hinder  no  other  plantation."  In  1640,  his 
part  of  the  four  thousand  acres  granted  to  Roxbury,  being  460 
acres,  was  made  500,  and  set  out  to  him  on  Concord  river. 

He  died  in  1653,  July  31,  on  the  Lord's  day,  at  night,  in  his 
77th  year.  His  property  was  valued  at  £1560:10:01.  We 
find,  in  his  inventory,  bandoliers,  corselets,  &c.  some  Latin  books, 
some  on  law,  some  that  indicate  a  taste  for  literature,  and  many 
^^  the  doctrines  of  religion  he  espoused. 

At  the  time  when  the  new  lights  of  that  day  appeared,  he  was 
most  earnest  in  his  opposition  to  them.  He  even  accused  Cotton 
of  wavering  and  called  him  to  account.  He  would  have  made  a 
good  persecutor  at  any  time.  He  seemed  disposed  to  deny  all 
toleration  to  others,  exactly  in  proportion  as  he  had  himself  once 
needed  it.     He  did   as   men   of  strong  passions  are  apt  to  do. 


Part  1.]  histokv  of  roxburv.  lOl 

Whatever  cause  he  did  espouse,  had  his  whole  heart.  Whatever 
he  was  against,  found  him  a  good  hater. 

He  was  a  man  of  great  spirit,  energy  and  force  of  character. 
His  experience  had  been  long,  varied  and  great.  His  resources 
and  powers  were  fully  developed.  The  station  he  had  held  must 
have  given  him  a  degree  of  cultivation,  of  taste  and  manners, 
somewhat,  to  say  the  least,  above  most  of  the  colonists,  though 
not  so  great  as  Winthrop's.  He  was  well  versed  in  the  details 
and  management,  as  well  as  the  principles,  of  business.  His 
mind  was  cultivated,  and  his  judgment  mature  and  practised. 
His  knowledge  of  the  law  was  good,  and  served  him  and  the  new 
colony  well.  There  is  reason  to  suppose  he  drew  the  agreement 
for  the  Free  school.  The  clause  binding  the  estates  is  in  his 
hand.  Though  not  a  polished  writer,  he  was,  by  no  means  a 
bad  one,  as  his  letter  to  the  Countess  of  Lincoln,  which  is  a  treas- 
ure for  other  merits  besides  its  literary  ones,  shows.  He  is  said 
lo  have  been  no  mean  poet.  It  is  certain  that  one  of  his  daugh- 
ters was  a  highly  respectable  one.  As  he  had  for  so  many  years 
such  controlling  influence  in  public  affairs,  perhaps  it  is  not  too 
much  to  say  that  the  State  is  a  monument  to  his  knowledge,  his 
judgment,  and  his  principles. 

Allusion  has  been  made  to  one  prominent  trait  of  his  charac- 
ter, his  religious  zeal.  He  was  a  genuine  puritan,  stern  and  de- 
voted, asking  no  quarter  for  his  own  opinions,  and  giving  none 
to  others;  not  merely  esteeming  religious  concerns  important  be- 
fore all  others,  but  so  constituted  that  whenever  religious  affairs 
presented  themselves  they  absorbed  all  others.  Even  in  his  will, 
he  says,  "  1  leave  this  testimony  behind  me  for  the  use  and  ex- 
ample of  my  posterity,  and  any  others  upon  whom  it  may  work, 
that  I  have  hated  and  do  hate  any  false  way  in  religion,  not  only 
the  old  idolatry  and  superstition  of  popery,  which  is  wearing 
away,  but  many  more  late,  being  much  worse,  the  more  horrible 
blasphemies  and  errors  of  late  sprung  up  in  our  native  country, 
and  secretly  received  and  fostered  here  more  than  I  wish  they 
were." 

An  epitaph,  which  is  ascribed  to  him,  may  serve  to  illustrate 
this  trait  in  his  character.  It  will  also  show  with  what  show  of 
justice  any  body  could  charge  him  with  being  a  poet. 


102  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

Dimme  eyes,  deafe  eares,  cold  stomach  shew 

My  dissolution  is  in  view. 

Eleven  times  seven  years  lived  have  I, 

And  now  God  calls,  I  willing  dye. 

My  shuttle's  shut,  my  race  is  run, 

My  sun  is  set ;  my  deed  is  done  ; 

My  span  is  measured  ;  my  tale  is  told ; 

My  flower's  faded  and  grown  old ; 

My  life  is  vanished;  shadows  fled; 

My  soul's  with  God ;  my  body  dead. 

Fare  well,  dear  wife,  children  and  friends, 

Hate  Heresy.     Make  blessed  ends. 

Bear  Poverty.     Live  with  good  men. 

So  shall  we  meet  with  joy  agen 

Let  men  of  God  in  courts  and  churches  watcli 

O'er  such  as  do  a  toleration  hatch. 

Least  ye  ill  egg  bring  forth  a  cockatrice, 

To  pay  you  all  with  heresy  and  vice, 

If  men  be  left  and  otherwise  combine 

Mine  epitaph's  I  died  no  libertine.'" 

Libertine  meant  Familist.  Heresy  meant  what  heresy  always 
means  to  him  using  the  word.  He  whose  blood  does  not  curdle 
at  the  fierce,  cold,  self-conceited,  bigotry  of  the  man,  will  at  least 
pity  the  folly,  the  weakness,  the  lack  of  christian  charity  of  the 
time.  Yet,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  piety  mingled  in  his  con- 
victions. His  intolerance  was  no  cloak.  His  hatred  of  gospel 
libertinism  was  sincere  and  conscientious. 

He  was  one  of  unbounded  hospitality,  entertaining  strangers, 
poor  English  and  Indians.  He  gave  liberally.  If  he  drove  a 
good  bargain,  he  was  a  man  of  exact  justice. 

It  is  said  there  was  on  his  tomb  in  the  grave  yard  at  the  corner 
of  Euslis  and  Washington  streets,  a  leaden  plate  that  had  an  epi- 
taph upon  it,  which  was  torn  off  and  run  up  into  bullets  in  the 
revolution.     The  epitaph  was  this  : 

"Here  lies  Thomas  Dudley,  a  lusty  old  stud, 
A  bargains'  a  bargain  and  shall  be  made  good." 

^  There  must  be  some  doubt  whether  it  is  genuine,  but  it  indi- 
cates what  was  the  estimate  of  his  character.  Indeed,  all  who 
spcuk  of  him,  unite  in  praising  his  ability,  integrity,  and  love  of 
justice,   and    more   especially   his  "hatred    of  disorder,  and  his 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxburv.  103 

anlipalliy  to  all  heresy  and  corrupt  doctrine."  He  was  styled 
the  "antient,  honored  and  trusty  soldier  of  the  truth."  He  was 
upright,  and  honest,  and  fearlessly  spoke  his  own  opinion  in  the 
face  of  all  men. 

One  of  the  clergy,  Nathaniel  Kogers,  wrote  this  anagram  in 
his  honor.  It  is  worth  preserving  as  showing  the  fashion  of  the 
day. 

THOMAS  DUDLEY. 
Hold,  mast,  we  dy. 

When  swelling  gusts  of  antinomian  breath 
Had  well  nigh  wreck'd  this  little  bark  to  death, 
When  Oars  gan  crack,  and  anchors,  then  we  cry 
Hold  firm  brave  mast,  thy  stand,  or  else  we  die. 
Our  orth'dox  mast  did  hold,  we  did  not  die  ; 
Our  mast  now  roll'd  by  th'  board  (poor  bark)  we  cry. 
Courage,  our  pilot,  lives,  who  stills  the  waves, 
Or  midst  the  surges  still  his  bark  he  saves. 

He  wrote,  also,  the  following  Latin  Epitaph  : 

Heluo  librorura,  lectorum  bibliotheca 

Communis,  sacrae,  syllabus  historiae, 

Ad  mensam  comes,  hinc  facundus,  rostra  disertus, 

Non  cumulus  verbis,  pondus  acumen  erat, 

Morum  acris  censor,  validus  defensor  amansque, 

Et  sanae,  et  canae,  catholicae  fidei. 

Angli-Novi  Columen,  summum  decus,  atquc  senatus, 

Thomas  Dudleius  conditur  hoc  tumulo. 

Another  of  them  is  worth  noticing  for  a  different  reason. 

In  Eliot's  diary  it  is  said  that  about  the  16th  of  the  5th  month, 
1645,  some  nameless  author  sent  to  Dudley,  then  governor,  this 
anagram. 

THOMAS   DUDLEY. 

Ah  !  Old,  must  dye. 

A  deaths  head  on  you  you  would  not  weare  ; 

A  dying  head  you  on  your  shoulders  beare. 

You  need  not  one  to  minde  you  you  must  dye. 

You  in  your  name  may  spell  mortalitye. 

Young  men  may  dye,  but  old  men  they  dye  must 

Lord  it  can't  be  long  }  ,    r-  ^  ^     j     . 

•Twill  not  be  long  ^  J  before  you  turne  to  dust. 


104  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

Before  j'ou  turno  to  dust !     Ah,  Must,  Old  !  dye  ! 
What  sliall  younge  doe  when  old  in  dust  doe  lye, 
When  old  in  dust  lye ;  what  shall  New  England  doe  ? 
When  old  in  dust  lye,  it's  best  dye  too. 

Eliot  was  guilty  of  doggrel.  This  is  in  his  vein.  And  it  is 
hard  to  see  why  he  should  have  questioned  the  best  reading  of  a 
line,  or  noticed  such  a  thing  at  all,  or  written  it  out  at  length,  un- 
less it  was  his  own. 

Besides  the  children  named  already,  Thomas  Dudley  had  a 
daughter  Deborah,  born  1645,  and  Joseph,  born  Sept.  23,  1647, 
who  was  afterwards  governor  of  the  colony,  M.  P.,  &c. 

The  descendants  of  Dudley  have  been  amongst  the  first  men 
in  the  country. 

Mr.  John  Eliot,  the  next  person  whose  name  we  meet,  was  the 
counterpart  of  Thomas  Dudley.  He  was  born  at  Nasing,  in 
Essex,  England,  in  November,  1604. 

All  that  is  known  of  his  early  life  is  that  he  was  trained  up 
under  the  care  of  pious  parents,  and  that,  as  he  says  "his  first 
years  were  seasoned  with  the  fear  of  God,  the  word  and  prayer." 

He  received  a  thorough  education  at  Jesus  College  in  the 
Cambridge  University,  where  he  took  a  degree  in  1622.  He 
there  laid  the  basis  of  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  original  lan- 
guages of  the  Bible  and  of  great  theological  learning.  He  was 
particularly  fond  of  philological  studies,  and  became  a  critical  and 
an  accurate  scholar. 

After  leaving  the  University,  he  was  engaged  as  teacher  in  a 
school  kept  by  Mr.  Hooker,  the  eminent  divine.  There,  no 
doubt,  he  got  the  ideas  which  brought  him  to  Nevv  England. — 
He  always  said  that  "the  days  he  spent  with  Hooker  were  a  rich 
blessing  to  his  soul."  It  was  "in  the  quiet  sanctity  of  Hooker's 
household,"  that  his  spiritual  life  was  kindled  into  that  expansive 
energy  which  led  him  with  unalterable  purpose  to  the  service  of 
God." 

He  came  over  in  the  Lyon,  which  arrived  November  3d,  1631, 
and  immediately  joined  the  church  at  Boston.  There  he  "exer- 
cised." He  continued  there  till  his  removal  to  Roxbury.  The 
Boston  people  desired  him  to  become  their  Teacher,  and  labored 
all  they  could,  with  him  and   the  church  at  Roxbury,  to  induce 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxburv.  105 

him  10  accept  their  call,  but,  regarding  himself  bound  to  his 
friends  at  Roxbury,  he  could  not  be  prevailed  on  to  decline  their 
invitation,  and  he  was  dismissed  to  Roxbury.  He  was  ordained 
Teacher  of  the  first  church,  November  5th,  1632.  Rev.  Thomas 
Weld  had  been  invested  with  the  Pastoral  care,  in  July  preceding. 
It  is  generally  said  that  Mr.  Weld  was  settled  after  and  under 
Mr.  Eliot,  as  his  colleague.  But  this  is  a  mistake.  In  October, 
1632,  Eliot  was  married  to  the  lady  to  whom  he  had  been  es- 
poused before  he  left  England,  and  who  came  on  the  year  after 
his  arrival. 

Though  Eliot  was  young  when  he  began  his  work  here,  and 
had  had  little,  if  any,  knowledge  of  the  world,  he,  as  well  as 
Dudley,  had  had  just  that  education  which  best  fitted  him  for  the 
life  he  had  to  lead.  Dudley  was  advanced  in  life,  was  guided  by 
judgment,  prudence,  and  his  will.  Coming  to  find  an  asylum 
for  his  opinions,  professing  to  hate  heresy  and  intolerance,  he 
was  himself  most  bigoted  and  intolerant.  Eliot  listened  to  noth- 
ing but  the  call  of  conscience.  He  cared  for  all  men,  but  himself 
least.  He  set  earnestly  about  a  work,  from  which  he  could  have 
hoped  for  neither  fame,  influence,  or  any  worldly  advantage. — 
The  best  that  can  be  said  of  Dudley,  is,  that  he  was  well  fitted 
for  the  political  service  of  that  early  day.  Eliot  had  before  him 
the  work  of  a  christian  missionary. 

Eliot  has  been  known  to  the  whole  world  for  his  public  labors, 
and  these  we  will  first  consider.  Great,  as  must  have  been  the 
labors  of  his  parish  in  those  days,  they  did  not  deter  him  from 
undertaking  greater  labors  than  any  other  man  ever  accom- 
plished. In  the  first  place  he  set  about  learning  the  Indian  lan- 
guage. It  is  said  that  he  learned  this  in  two  years  so  that  he 
preached  in  it.  But  this  statement  seems  to  be  improbable  in 
itself.  Without  book,  or  teacher,  he  had  to  grope  his  way  from 
the  unintelligible  sounds  of  the  barbarous  natives,  into  the  mys- 
teries of  a  language  that  it  would  be  no  easy  thing  to  master 
with  all  the  helps  of  learning.  He  had  first  to  learn  to  under- 
stand the  common  talk.  Then  he  had  to  learn  the  fit  analogies 
to  express  what  he  had  to  teach,  for  which  they  had  no  words, 
but  which  he  must  still  teach  in  the  language  of  the  natives. — 
And  he  had  also  to  study  the  Indian  and  reduce  it  to  some  sys- 
tem, to  study  its  laws  scientifically,  as  well  as  to  learn  the  words, 
14 


106  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

by  memory,  in  order  to  reduce  it  to  a  wriilen  tongue.  It  is  said 
he  took  Job  Nesutan  into  his  family  to  learn  the  language.  It  is 
much  more  probable  that  he  had  been  studying  the  language  for 
several  years.  Amongst  the  deaths  recorded  in  town  is  one,  in 
1646,  of  "an  Indian  who  had  lived  ten  years  with  the  whites, 
and  could  read."  From  our  knowledge  of  Eliot,  we  cannot  help 
believing  that  Eliot  taught,  and  learned  of  this  person.  He  was 
no  man  to  stand  idle  ten  years,  with  the  tools  for  his  work 
before  him. 

There  were  many  Indians  in  the  vicinity  of  Eoxbury,  and  very 
likely  many  within  the  town,  though  but  rare  traces  are  found  of 
them.  Eliot  first  went  to  preach  to  them  at  Nonantom,  October 
28th,  1646.  He  preached  there  again  on  the  eleventh,  and  again 
on  the  twenty-sixth  of  November,  in  the  same  year.  The  whole 
proceedings  of  the  meetings  are  still  preserved.  After  prayer  and 
a  discourse,  the  Indians  put  such  questions  as  suggested  them- 
selves, such  as  these,  Hoio  he  hnew  Jesus  Christ  ?  Whether  the 
English  were  ever  ignorant  of  Christ  ?  Whether  Christ  could 
understand  prayers  in  Indian  ?  Hoiv  the  ivorld  came  to  be  full 
of  people,  if  all  men  were  drowned  in  the  flood  ?  Why  sea  water 
was  salt  and  river  water  fresh  ?  These  and  many  more  were  put 
at  the  different  meetings.  They  are  curious  and  interesting  as 
they  show  the  operation  of  men's  minds  and  of  the  religious  sen- 
timent. But  they  are  too  voluminous  for  the  limits  of  this  sketch. 
The  accounts  of  the  meetings  were  sent  to  England  and  soon  af- 
ter published  and  excited  great  interest. 

It  was  a  maxim  with  Eliot  that  the  Indians  must  be  civilized  in 
order  to  their  being  christianized.  Accordingly,  he  took  the 
greatest  pains  not  only  to  teach  them  the  truths  of  Christianity, 
but  to  show  to  them  the  benefits  of  the  various  arts  known  to  the 
English,  and  to  urge  them  to  industry,  good  order,  and  good  gov- 
ernment. He  looked  to  their  physical  comfort.  "Cleanliness" 
he  considered  "  next  to  Godliness."  On  the  organization  of  a 
town  at  Natick,  a  simple  code  of  laws  was  agreed  upon,  which  in- 
dicate at  once  the  habits  of  the  natives,  and  the  aim  and  obstacles 
of  Eliot.  They  punished  1st,  idleness,  2d,  licentiousness,  3d, 
cruelty  to  women,  4th,  vagrancy,  5th,  looseness  in  dress,  6th,  fil- 
thiness  in  person.     These  were,  no  doubt,  made  by  Eliot. 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  107 

Before,  or  about  the  time  when  Eliot  commenced  his  labor  at 
Nonanlum,he  had  visited  the  Indians  at  Dorchester  mill,  but  was 
not  well  received  by  them,  though  they  afterwards  desired  him 
to  preach  to  them.  He  began  with  those  in  his  immediate  vicin- 
ity. The  next  year,  he  went  to  Concord  to  preach,  when  he  con- 
verted the  chief  and  gained  converts  in  the  tribe.  In  1648,  he 
went  to  a  tribe  on  the  Merrimac,  in  1648  to  Yarmouth,  after- 
wards to  Lancaster  and  Brookfield.  It  was  his  custom  for  many 
years  to  preach  to  the  Indians  once  a  fortnight.  In  1670  he  made 
a  journey  to  the  Indians  at  Martha's  Vineyard.  In  1673-4  he 
travelled  through  the  country  of  the  Nipmucks,  who  inhabited  the 
southern  parts  of  Western  Massachusetts  and  the  North  of  Con- 
necticut, preaching  constantly  and  teaching  them  in  their  wig- 
wams. 

The  progress  he  made  was  not  rapid.  It  may  be  judged  of 
from  the  fact  that,  at  the  breaking  out  of  Philip's  war  the  whole 
number  of  christian  Indians  in  the  Massachusetts  colony  was 
about  1150.  The  work  was  beset  with  difficulties.  King  Philip 
told  the  Apostle,  that  he  cared  no  more  for  his  religion  than  for  a 
button  on  his  coat.  Ninigret,  the  Narraganset  sachem,  when  re- 
quested by  Mayhew  leave  to  preach  to  his  tribe,  told  him  to  make 
the  English  good  first.  There  was  great  personal  danger  and 
hardship.  On  one  occasion,  the  life  of  Mr.  Eliot  was  threatened 
if  he  dared  to  visit  a  certain  tribe,  but  he  did  not  hesitate,  saying, 
*'  it  is  God's  work  and  I  fear  not,"  and  he  went,  under  the  guard 
of  his  friends  and  some  christian  Indians.  In  one  of  his  letters, 
he  says  "  I  have  not  been  dry  night  nor  day,  from  the  third  day 
of  the  week  unto  the  sixth,  but  so  travelled,  and  at  night  pull  off 
my  boots,  wring  my  stockings  and  on  with  them  again,  and  so 
continue.  But  God  steps  in  and  helps."  Gookin,  a  judge  of  the 
Indian  Court,  said  he  was  afraid  to  go  through  the  streets  alone. 
Eliot  was  not  proof  against  all  hardship.  In  1657,  he  was 
"  exercised  by  the  sciatica,  cndarmg  much  anguish  and  dolour," 
so  that  he  could  not  preach  for  twenty  weeks. 

Yet  he  accomplished  much.  Under  him  the  Indians  became 
neat,  and  industrious.  They  began  to  leave  their  old  habits  and 
organize  into  civilized  society.  Several  of  their  towns  became 
quite  thriving  and  respectable.  In  1647,  on  Eliot's  petition  a 
court  was  established   for  the  Indian    tribe   of  Nonantum.     The 


108  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  f. 

wnrranl  of  Mr.  Justice  Waban,  "  You,  you  big  constable,  qnick 
you  catch  um  Jeremiah  OfTscow,  strong  you  hold  um,  safe  you 
bring  urn,  afore  me  Waban,  justice  peace,"  and  his  righteous 
judgment  in  the  case,  between  the  drunken  Indians,  "tie  um  all 
up,  and  whip  um  plaintiff",  and  whip  um  fendant,  and  whip  um 
witness,"  have  become  equally  well  known,  but  the  general  good 
order  and  thrifty  condition  of  the  Natick  Indians  is  proof  enough 
of  a  wise  administration  of  afTairs.  Even  the  ridiculous  warrant 
is  equalled  in  brevity  by  one  from  the  English  court.  "  To  the 
Marshal,  or  his  deputy.  By  virtue  hereof  you  are  required  to 
levy  of  the  land  of  John  Lamb  to  the  value  of  £50  :  IS,  (and  2sh. 
for  this  ex'on,)  to  satisfy  the  worshipful!  Thomas  Dudley  for  a 
judgment  granted  at  the  Court  held  at  Boston  the  6th  month." 

In  1647,  there  was  a  synod  which  the  Indians  attended.  A  ser- 
mon was  preached  in  the  Indian  language,  and  after  it  they  had 
an  opportunity  to  put  any  questions  that  suggested  themselves. 

In  1650,  the  Natick  Indians  urged  Eliot  to  allow  them  to  form 
a  town.  The  Indian  Town  was  organized  the  sixth  of  August, 
1651.  The  regular  formation  of  a  church  was  conducted  with 
great  caution,  from  conscientious  fears  lest  the  natives  should  be 
admitted  to  communion  without  fit  preparation.  Repeated  exam- 
inations were  had,  some  of  them  public ;  and,  in  1660,  an  Indian 
church  was  formed. 

In  connection  with  these  labors,  Eliot  undertook  and  accom- 
olished  others,  designed  to  establish  his  work  on  a  lasting  basis. 
He  thought  of  making  a  translation  of  the  Bible  at  least  as  early 
as  1649.  In  1651,  he  had  begun  it.  In  1661,  the  New  Testa- 
ment was  published  in  Indian,  and  the  Old  Testament  in  1663. 
His  labors  for  the  Indians  were  the  dearest  objects  of  his  heart. 
The  result  he  hoped  for  was  one  that  it  cheered  his  manly  and 
benevolent  soul  to  think  upon.  He  looked  to  the  direct  effect  of 
his  own  labors  with  the  greater  solicitude,  because,  having  few 
to  aid  him,  he  could  not  but  feel  how  much  the  success  of  his 
objects  depended  on  his  own  single  arm  alone.  He  had  not 
merely  to  write  but  to  do  much  of  the  labor  of  printing  also.  In 
a  letter  written  concerning  a  second  edition  of  the  Bible,  which 
was  published  in  16S5,  he  speaks  of  having  only  one  person  be- 
sides himself  able  to  conduct  the  work.  This  was  the  Indian 
James,  who  got  the  sirname  Printer  from  his  calling. 


Part  !.]  history  of  roxbury.  109 

III  speaking  of  this  work',  Edward  Everett  has  said  "since  the 
"  days  of  the  Apostle  Paul,  a  nobler,  truer,  and  warmer  spirit  than 
"John  Eliot  never  lived  ;  and  taking  the  state  of  the  country,  the 
"  narrowness  of  the  means,  the  rudeness  of  the  age,  into  consid- 
"eralion,  the  History  of  the  Christian  Church  does  not  contain 
"  an  example  of  resolute,  untiring,  successful  labor,  superior  to 
"  that  of  translating  the  entire  Scriptures  into  the  language  of  the 
''  native  tribes  of  Massachusetts,  a  labor  performed  under  the  con- 
"  slant  burden  of  his  duties  as  a  minister  and  a  preacher  and  at  a 
"  time  when  his  spirits  began  to  flag." 

But  it  seems  to  me  thai  vast  as  was  the  undertaking,  &;  however 
common  patience  might  have  broken  under  so  long  and  wearisome 
a  labor,  the  literary  toil  of  Eliot  was  not  so  great  as  his  mission- 
ary labors.  In  these,  while  he  had  few  of  the  pleasures  of  study 
or  learning,  he  had  quite  as  much  tedious  drudgery,  and  he  had 
also  to  encounter  danger,  to  endure  excessive  hardships,  and  what 
perhaps  would  be  most  trying  of  all,  to  withstand  the  attacks  and 
calumnies  of  the  English,  themselves.  The  feelings  of  many  of 
the  English  were  hostile  to  his  eflbrts.  When  the  natives  were 
committing  depredations  on  their  property,  burning  their  villages, 
and  murdering  families  all  about,  the  English  could  not  enter 
with  great  sympathy  into  the  feelings  of  Eliot.  Besides  this, 
Eliot  had  the  pain  of  seeing  his  best  efforts  thwarted,  in  a  hun- 
dred ways,  and  the  labors  of  twice  as  many  years  as  it  took  him 
to  translate  the  Bible,  undone  in  a  moment,  by  some  cruel  or  im- 
prudent act  on  the  part  of  his  own  countrymen.  Such  things  as 
these  will  damp  and  dishearten  one  who  fears  no  danger  and 
never  is  tired  with  the  severest  labor. 

For  fi)rty  years,  day  after  day,  week  after  week,  he  continued 
his  visits  to  the  Indians,  not  merely  preaching,  and  holding 
"talks"  with  them,  but  going  about  amongst  them  every  where, 
as  the  earliest  code  of  laws  proves,  in  the  midst  of  every  thing 
loathsome  and  revolting.  His  feelings  must  have  been  bitter 
when  at  the  end  of  the  war  he  found  that  more  than  half  those 
who  had  been  numbered  amongst  the  little  body  of  his  converts, 
had  renounced  the  faith,  and  taken  up  arms  against  the  English. 

In  1675,  several  captive  Indians  were  brought  to  Boston. — 
Eliot  interested  himself  deeply  in  their  behalf.  Hi.^  diary  shows 
how  warm  was  his  byuipaihy.     But  the  people  looked  at  it  with 


no  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

jealousy,  and  nothing  but  respect  for  Eliot  could  have  prevented 
forcible  interference.  It  was  a  sore  trial  for  him  to  see  men 
ruthlessly  rooting  out  the  truths  he  had  planted,  and  to  feel  that, 
such  was  the  state  of  men's  minds,  no  one  would  again  attempt 
to  do  what  he  had  effected. 

In  1675,  is  a  note  in  his  diary  "soone  after  the  warre  wh.  ye 
"  Indians  brake  forth,  the  history  wr.  oflf  I  cannot,  I  may  not  re- 
*'  late,  the  prophane  Indians  proved  a  sharpe  rod  to  the  English, 
*'  and  the  English  proved  a  very  sharpe  rod  to  the  praying 
*'  Indians."' 

After  the  war  was  over,  he  records  how  the  soldiers  welcomed 
our  Indians  (the  praying  Indians)  wherever  they  met  them  and 
"  led  them  to  the  ordinarys  and  made  them  drink,  and  bred  them 
•"  by  such  a  habit  to  love  strong  drink,  so  that  it  was  a  terrible 
■"  snare  to  us.  They  learned  so  to  love  strong  drink  that  they 
^'  spent  all  their  wages  and  pawned  all  they  had  for  strong 
"drink,"  "so  that  drunkenness  increased,  quarrelling  and  fiting," 
&;c.     He  then  laments  over  the  loss  of  their  Bibles. 

The  translation  of  the  Bible  could  not  so  severely  tax  all  his 
energies,  as  these  labors.  It  certainly  was  attended  with  none  of 
the  bitter  discouragements  he  found  in  them. 

Besides  the  Bible,  Eliot  translated  many  other  books  into  the 
Indian  language.  Baxter's  Call,  and  the  Psalter,  were  published 
in  1664,  the  Indian  Grammar,  in  1666,  several  editions  of  Cate- 
chisms and  Primers,  the  "Sound  Believer,"  and  some  tracts, 
about  the  same  time. 

Besides  his  Indian  books,  Eliot  wrote  and  published  several 
English  ones  ;  in  1665,  the  "Communion  of  the  Churches  ;"  in 
1672,  the  "Logical  Primer;"  in  1678,  the  "Harmony  of  the 
Gospels." 

"The  Christian  Commonwealth,"  was  also  written  by  Eliot. — 
This  was  a  rare  book  and  little  known  here  till  its  recent  publica- 
tion by  the  Historical  Society.  It  probably  appeared  during  the 
latter  part  of  Cromwell's  government,  or  just  before  the  restora- 
tion of  Charles  II,  in  1660.  In  May,  (the  22d)  1661,  the  Gen- 
eral Court  deeming  sundry  expressions  therein,  "touching  kingly 
Government  in  England,  offensive,"  "ordered  that  all  persons 
whatsoever  in  this  jurisdiction,  that  have  any  of  the  ?aid  Bookes 
in  iheire  Cuslody,  shall  on  theire  pnrrills,  within  foworloen  dayes 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  Ill 

after  publication  hereof,  cancel  and  deface  the  same,  or  deliver 
them  unto  the  next  Magistrate,  or  to  the  Secretary,  whereby  all 
divulgement  and  improvement  of  the  said  offensive  Boolce  may 
be  prevented,"  and  Eliot's  acknowledgement  be  copied  and 
posted   in  Boston,  Charleslown,  Cambridge,  Salem  and  Ipswich. 

He  acknowledged  the  lawfulness  of  the  English  government, 
and  the  error  of  such  expressions  as  too  manifestly  scandalized 
the  Government  by  the  King;  as  anli-chrislian,  and  that  all  forms 
of  government  deduced  from  Scripture,  are  of  God. 

The  Christian  Commonwealth  was  a  form  of  government, 
which  Eliot  proposed  to  have  adopted  by  the  English  Common- 
wealth. Il  was  based  on  what  he  found  in  the  Scriptures,  and  he 
thought  that  no  one  could  deny  it  without  derogating  from  their 
"  sufficiency  and  perfection."  It  was  upon  a  similar  plan  that 
Natick  was  organized.  The  form  proposed  was  for  individuals 
to  organize  into  tens,  or  tithings,  tens  into  hundreds,  and  so  up- 
wards, with  rulers  of  tens,  fifties,  hundreds,  thousands,  &c.  The 
several  rulers  in  their  jurisdictions  were  to  be  judges  and  cases 
were  to  be  carried  from  one  court  to  another  up  to  the  highest 
council  chosen  by  the  whole  body.  Each  ruler  was  to  expound 
the  law  according  to  the  Scriptures,  and  each  was  to  superintend 
and  direct  those  below  him.  The  Supreme  Council  was  to  have 
supervision  of  all.  It  was  the  highest  court  of  law.  It  had  the 
power  of  declaring  war  and  making  peace,  and  the  power  of  reg- 
ulating commerce,  the  arts,  and  religion.  This  he  termed  a  Sin- 
gle Platform.  But  he  contemplated  the  indefinite  extension  of 
the  plan  so  as  to  embrace  any  number,  and  provided  for  rulers  of 
myriads,  ten  myriads,  millions,  &c.  He  provided  also  for  the 
choice  of  Princes,  in  populous  Nations  where  there  are  other  civil 
distinctions  of  societies,  to  take  care  of  the  good  government  of 
the  superior  rulers  under  them,  and  be  members  of  the  Supreme 
Council,  who  should  be  chosen  by  the  people  over  whom  they 
were  to  rule.  For  laws  the  Scriptures  were  to  be  the  guide,  be- 
ing, as  he  said,  "  the  perfect  system  to  guide  all  the  morall  actions 
of  man  either  towards  God  or  man,"  the  rules  whereof  the  Judges 
were  to  apply  to  each  man,  guided  "by  their  wisdom  and  discre- 
tion, and  a  pure  conscience."  Each  decided  case  would  become 
a  precedent  according  to  the  principles  of  the  common  law^ 


112  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

The  work  shows  that  he  was,  as  he  said,  no  Statesman,  in  the 
common  acceptation  of  the  term.  It  does  not  manifest  any 
knowledge  of  the  science  of  political  government,  and  its  various 
checks  and  balancing  powers.  On  the  other  hand  it  indicates, 
for  that  day,  a  liberal  mind.  It  does  not,  like  the  early  laws  of 
the  colony,  for  instance,  copy  the  exact  penalties  of  the  Mosaic 
code  ;  and  unless  limits  are  to  be  fixed,  by  construction,  to  his 
plan,  where  he  has  placed  none,  there  may  be  found  in  this  work 
the  statement  of  a  principle  higher  than  has  ever  yet  been 
adopted  by  any  government  in  the  world,  of  the  absolute  harmo- 
ny of  all  laws.  Divine  and  human,  that  no  enactments  of  man 
can  be  binding  which  conflict  with  the  laws  of  God.  Govern- 
ments have  been  based  on  the  idea  of  the  sacrifice  of  the  rights 
of  individuals,  and  men  have  had  hardly  time  to  study  the 
theory  of  securing  to  each,  perfect  protection. 

Eliot  has  been  censured  for  his  retractions,  as  an  instance  of 
weakness.  But,  if  the  whole  vi'ork  be  carefully  considered,  it 
will  be  seen  that  he  rather  acknowledged  that  he  had  no  desire  to 
promote  civil  dissention,  and  did  not  desire  that  the  strongest 
constructions  should  be  given  to  a  few  phrases  as  perhaps  appli- 
cable to  existing  circumstances,  but  intended  a  general  application 
of  his  theory,  whilst  he  still  insisted  on  the  general  proposition  of 
the  legitimacy  of  Divine  laws  for  human  government.  Much  of 
the  force  of  this  will  depend  on  the  sense  in  which  he  intended 
to  speak  of  the  laborer  against  Antichrist,  whether  as  against  a 
single  man,  or  for  all  noble  works. 

The  inquiry  which  will  most  interest  us,  is  how  these  labors  of 
Mr.  Eliot  were  viewed  and  supported  by  his  own  people.  And, 
though  no  full  account  can  be  given  of  their  labors  with  him, 
there  is  evidence  enough  to  show  that  they  approved  and  aided 
his  eflforts  for  the  Indians. 

Daniel  Gookin,  the  one  who,  next  to  Eliot,  was  most  active  in 
this  work,  lived,  for  a  time  at  Roxbury.  In  one  of  his  letters, 
Eliot  speaks  of  asking  advice  of  one  of  the  Elders  of  liis  church 
on  some  matter  of  importance  concerning  the  Indians.  This,  no 
doubt,  was  Elder  Heath.  In  a  later  letter  he  speaks  of  the  great 
encouragement  of  the  Ruling  Elder.  Another  letter  of  that  day, 
written  by  one  interested  in  those  matters,  mentions  Eliot's  broth- 
er as  a  "right  godly  and  diligent  person  who  useth  to  accompany" 


Part  f.]  history  of  roxbury.  \\3 

him.  This  was  Philip  Eliot.  In  anolher  letter,  Eliot  speaks  of 
"  four  of  us"  going  to  the  Indians.  Very  likely  they  were  Gook- 
in,  Heath,  his  brother  Philip,  and  himself.  In  July,  1654,  there 
was  a  public  examination  of  the  Indians  in  Eliot's  church  at  Rox- 
bury- There  were  several  Indians  who  became  members  of  his 
church.  From  these  circumstances,  and  the  unbounded  love  and 
respect  felt  by  the  Roxbury  people  for  Mr.  Eliot  as  long  as  he 
lived,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  they  did  all  in  their  power  to  en- 
courage his  work  amongst  the  Indians.  In  several  instances  vis- 
its of  the  Indians  to  Roxbury  are  mentioned. 

Another  circumstance  is  worth  noticing.  When  the  people  of 
Roxbury  came  to  take  up  lands,  they  selected  their  locations 
amongst  the  praying  Indians  in  the  country  then  known  as  the 
country  of  the  Niptnucks,  at  Manchage,  now  Oxford,  at  Chabun- 
akongkoman,  or  Dudley,  Waanexit,  Quatesset,  and  Wabquissit, 
the  present  town  of  Woodstock  in  Connecticut,  and  other  places 
where  the  Indians  had  been  converted  to  Christianity.  This,  cer- 
tainly, is  a  sure  indication  of  the  steady  adherence  of  his  fellow 
townsmen,  and  their  belief  in  the  actual  benefits  of  his  missionary 
labors. 

The  same  thing  may  be  inferred  from  ihe  fact  that  he  never, 
for  one  moment,  held  any  but  the  first  place  in  the  esteem  and 
love  of  his  own  parish,  those  who  knew  all  he  did,  and  the  mo- 
tives that  governed  him. 

Of  his  labors  in  his  ofHce  very  little  can  be  told.  But  for  near- 
ly sixty  years  he  remained  with  the  parish,  and  always  was  be- 
loved by  all.  There  is  not  a  word  that  is  not  in  his  praise.  A 
single  anecdote,  which  was  told  by  some  of  the  ancient  inhabi- 
tants of  the  town,  shows  what  was  the  character  that  stamped  it- 
self on  their  memories. 

His  charity  was  so  great  that  his  salary  was  often  distributed 
for  the  relief  of  his  needy  neighbors,  so  soon  after  the  period  at 
which  he  received  it,  that  before  another  period  arrived  his  own 
family  were  straitened  for  the  comforts  of  life.  One  day  the  par- 
ish treasurer,  on  paying  the  money  due,  which  he  put  into  a 
handkerchief,  in  order  to  prevent  Mr.  Eliot  from  giving  away  his 
money  before  he  got  home,  tied  the  ends  of  the  handkerchief  in 
as  many  hard  knots  as  he  could.  The  good  man  received  the 
handkerchief  and  took  leave  of  the  treasurer.  He  immediately 
1.1 


114  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

went  to  the  house  of  a  sick  and  necessitous  family.  On  entering 
he  gave  them  his  blessing,  and  told  them  God  had  sent  them 
some  relief.  The  sufferers,  with  tears  of  gratitude  welcomed 
their  pious  benefactor,  who,  with  moistened  eyes  began  to  untie 
the  knots  in  his  handkerchief.  After  many  efforts  to  get  at  his 
money,  and  impatient  at  the  perplexity  and  delay,  he  gave  the 
handkerchief  and  all  the  money  to  the  mother  of  the  family,  say- 
ing with  trembling  accents,  "  Here,  my  dear,  take  it;  J  believe 
the  Lord  designed  all  for  you."  Whenever  he  is  spoken  of  by 
any  of  them  he  is  named  in  terms  of  more  than  common  endear- 
ment. 

It  could  not  have  been  otherwise-  He  worked  only  for  good. 
He  was  earnest  and  sincere.  The  great  principle  of  active  benev- 
olence governed  him  in  all  his  acts.  I  have  alluded  to  the  pain 
with  which  be  saw  the  white  men  tempt  the  poor  natives,  whom 
he  had  partly  redeemed,  back  to  their  evil  life.  No  one  ever 
wept  more  bitterly  than  he  did  over  the  wrongs  done  to  the  red 
man.  But  his  sympathies  were  awake  to  every  thing  humane. 
The  facts  noted  in  his  diary  show  his  character,  and  they  strike 
one  the  more  as  they  contrast  themselves  with  such  as  Mr.  Dan- 
forth  records  side  by  side  with  them.  Danforth  records  the  dates 
of  earthquakes,  ordinations,  fasts,  shipwrecks,  the  appearances  of 
comets  and  their  positions,  the  weather,  synods,  accidents,  and 
gossip  in  general.  Eliot  thanks  God  that  the  £12  :  IS  :  09  which 
they  raised  to  buy  Edward  Stowell  out  of  Turkish  captivity  made 
un  just  the  sum  needed.  He  speaks  of  the  attempts  made  to  re- 
duce Southold  and  Southampton,  "  because  they  stand  for  their 
liberty  ;"  of  the  Sabbath  School;  of  "  the  gracious  gift  of  char- 
ily from  the  friends  in  Dublin  for  such  as  died  in  the  warr;"  of 
his  visits  to  men,  indians  and  whites,  in  prison,  and  on  the  scaf- 
fold.    Every  thing  tells  of  his  philanthrophy. 

In  his  parish  he  always  declined  taking  wine,  quietly  remark- 
ing that  it  was  an  ancient  beverage  undoubtedly,  but  he  believed 
water  was  an  older  one.  He  utterly  condemned  the  filthy  use  of 
tobacco.  He  .preached  and  prayed  against  wigs  and  long  hair, 
and  censured  many  fashions  of  the  day  as  ridiculous.  Some  of 
his  biographers  have  set  down  his  sentiments  on  these  matters  as 
well  as  on  war,  temperance,  and  the  treatment  of  the  natives,  to 
his  "  prejudices."     But  they  condemn  themselves  more  than  they 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  115 

censure  him.  He  considered  what  ^?as  just,  and  thought  of  the 
follies  of  fashion  as  they  indicated  and  affected  character.  For 
hinriself  he  saved,  that  he  might  be  liberal.  He  never  had  but  one 
dish  at  meal.  He  wore  a  leathern  girdle.  Yet,  notwithstanding 
his  great  private  benevolence,  with  his  small  salary,  he  accom- 
plished very  costly  undertakings. 

When  he  could  not  preach,  at  the  close  of  his  life,  he  said  to 
the  parish,  "I  do  here  give  up  my  salary  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  now  brethren,  you  may  fix  that  upon  any  man  that  God  shall 
make  a  pastor."  But  the  Society  declined  to  receive  it,  saying 
they  deemed  his  presence  necessary,  whatever  sum  was  granted 
for  his  support. 

"Mr.  Eliot  was  peculiarly  happy  in  domestic  life.  His  wife 
"  was  an  excellent  economist,  and  by  her  prudent  management 
"  enabled  jhim  to  be  generous  to  his  friends  and  hospitable  to 
*'  strangers.  With  a  moderate  stipend,  he  educated  four  sons  at 
"  college." 

As  a  preacher,  Eliot  was  very  efTective  and  popular.  His  man- 
ner was  easy  and  pleasing,  his  voice  sweet  and  clear,  his  style 
p!ain,  and  free  from  the  conceit  of  the  day.  He  always  was  ear- 
nest and  spoke  from  the  fulness  of  his  own  feelings. 

In  a  publication  of  1654,  Eliot  is  thus  noticed  : 

"Mr.  Eliot,  Pastor  of  the  Church  of  Christ  at  Roxbury,  in 
**  New  England,  much  honored  for  his  labors  in  the  Lord. 

Greate  is  thy  worke  in  Wildernesse,  Oh  man, 
Young  Eiiot  neere  twenty  yeares  thou  hast 

In  western  worlde  with  miccle  toil  thy  span 
Spent  well — neere  out,  and  now  thy  grey  havers  gracest 

Are  by  thy  Land  Lord  Christ,  who  makes  use  of  thee 
To  feede  his  flock,  and  heatlien  people  teach, 

In  theire  owne  language,  God  and  Christ,  to  see : 
A  Saviour  their  blind  hearts  could  not  reach, 

Poore  naked  children  come  to  lerne  God's  mind 
Before  thy  face  with  reverent  regard. 

Blesse  God  for  thee  may  thecse  poore  heatiien  blinde. 
That  from  thy  moutli  Christ's  gospell  swete  have  heard. 

Eliot  thy  name  is  through  the  wild  woods  spread. 
In  Indian  moutlis  frequents'  thy  fame,  for  why  ? 

In  sundry  shapes  the  Devills  make  them  dread  : 
And  now  the  Lord  makes  them  their  wigwam  fly. 


116  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [pART  I. 

Rejoice  in  this,  nay  ratlier  joy  that  thou, 
Amongst  Clirists'  soldiers  hast  thy  name  sure  set, 

Although  small  gains  on  earth  accrew  to  you, 
Yet  Christ  to  orowne  will  thee  to  Heaven  soono  fet. 

Yet  the  ''gray  haired  man"  had  not  "spent  his  span  well-neere 
out."  For  nearly  forty  years  after  that  was  written,  did  he  keep 
on  in  his  work  with  the  same  energy,  zeal  and  activity  that  he 
had  had  when  a  young  man- 
There  seems  to  be  a  fatality  about  the  connection  of  whites 
with  the  red  men.  It  was  thought  that  Eliot  was  founding  a 
great  work.  But  it  failed  and  ended  with  him.  The  very  last 
descendant  of  the  Natidk  town  has  gone.  His  code  of  laws  was 
condemned  by  his  own  friends,  from  the  meanest  fawning  on 
power.  His  college  never  graduated  so  many  as  it  took  to  plan 
it.  His  schools  soon  ceased*  His  books  are  rare  curiosities. — 
Even  the  Bible,  to  which  he  trusted  to  bless  millions,  and  to  ele- 
vate a  race  of  men,  cannot  be  read  by  a  single  man  in  the  whole 
world.  The  Indians  are  driven  away  thousands  of  miles  from 
the  spot  where  he  believed  they  would  live  as  civilized  men. — 
Even  in  his  own  day  he  saw  his  converts  melting  away  under 
various  influences ;  and  now  he  seems  to  be  esteemed  by  the 
world  as  one  of  its  good  men  :  some,  with  Everett,  associate 
greatness  with  his  name.  Yet  even  his  biographers  speak  of 
him  as  "the  good  old  man,"  "the  pious  heart,"  in  the  pitying  tone, 
oftener  than  in  the  true  significance  of  those  honorable  words, 
and  apply  to  his  labors  the  eternal  test  of  every  thing  but  truth 
and  nobleness,  cui  bono.  Thus  vveighed,  as  we  have  seen,  his 
labors  "amount  to"  nothing.     He  left  a  true  life. 

Yet  Eliot  was  great,  in  the  highest  sense.  To  a  heart  run- 
ning over  with  Christ-like  love,  to  a  spirit  which,  for  untiring 
resolution,  the  world  has  never  equalled,  he  added  lofty  and  lib- 
eral views.  Could  he  but  furnish  to  a  lew  about  him  the  ele- 
ments of  knowledge,  teach  them  the  gospel,  open  paths  for  others, 
make  a  grammar,  write  the  language,  found  Indian  schools  and 
colleges,  print  the  Bible  so  that  the  natives  could  read  it,  teach 
them  the  benefits  of  art  and  industry,  organize  their  society  and 
government,  he  looked  forward  with  the  faith  of  a  prophetic  soul, 
to  results  which  would  put  to  shame  all  that  most  of  the  world's 
"greal"  men  have  done.     He  was  more  than  a  laborious  mission- 


Part  1.]  history  of  roxburv.  117 

ary,  more  than  such  as  Penn.  His  works  and  plans  show  a 
mind  of  the  highest  order.  Results,  so  called,  arc  a  fallacious 
test  of  merit.  The  man  must  be  weighed,  independent  of  his 
success. 

How  could  Eliot  be  measured,  for  instance,  with  Thomas  Dud- 
ley. One  was  a  public  man,  loaded  with  honors,  a  rich  man,  "a 
zealous  defender  of  the  faith."  The  other  went  quietly  to  work, 
almost  alone,  spending  all  he  had,  encountering  danger  and  earn- 
ing reproach.  In  their  characters  all  is  contrasted.  One  was  a 
man  of  the  world.  The  other  was  spiritual,  living  out  what  he 
used  to  say,  "Heaven  is  here." 

The  traits  of  character,  which  strike  men  most,  in  Eliot,  are 
his  purity  and  spirituality,  his  ardor  and  resolution,  his  benevo- 
lence and  humility.  He  was  a  Christian.  He  was  complete 
and  well  balanced.  About  all  he  said  and  did,  there  is  that  re- 
pose which  seems  to  be  characteristic  of  the  works  of  a  great 
soul.  In  almost  his  last  letter  to  England,  as  earnest  as  ever 
about  the  Indian  work,  with  which  he  is  identified,  he  speaks 
with  perfect  calmness  of  his  death  as  "drawing  home."  By  con- 
sent of  the  world,  Eliot  has  been  named  an  Apostle.  "His  mem- 
ory is  precious." 

He  lived  nearly  opposite  Thomas  Dudley's,  on  the  other  side 
of  the  Brook,  just  back  of  the  spot  where  Guild  hall  stands. 

He  died  May  20th,  1690,  in  his  86ih  year,  and  was  buried  in 
what  was  called  "the  minister's  tomb,"  in  the  first  burial  place,  a 
tomb  which  was  built  by  subscription  partly,  and  to  which  the 
families  of  the  ministers  had  some  right. 

The  following  is  the  record  in  the  book  of  the  first  Church,  in  his 
own  hand. 
Mr.  John  Eliot  he  came  to  N.  E.  in  the  9th  month,  1631 ;  he 
left  his  intended  wife  in  England,  to  come  the  next  year.  He 
adjoyned  to  the  Church  at  Boston  and  there  exercised  in  the  ab- 
sence of  Mr.  Wilson,  the  pastor  of  the  Church,  who  was  gone 
back  to  England  for  his  wife  and  family.  The  next  summer,  Mr. 
Wilson  returned,  and  by  ye  time  the  Church  at  Boston  was  in- 
tended to  call  him  to  office,  his  friends  were  come  over,  and  set- 
tled at  Rocksbrough,  to  whom  he  was  first  engaged  that  if  he 
were  not  called  before  they  came,  he  was  to  be  joyned  to  them 


118  History  of  roxbury.  [Part  I. 

whereupon  the  Church  at  Rocksbrough  called  him  to  be  Teacher 
in  the  end  of  the  summer,  and  soon  after,  he  was  ordained  to  the 
office  in  the  Church.  Also,  his  wife  come  along  with  the  rest  of 
his  friends  the  same  time,  and  soon  after  their  coming,  they  were 
mariied,  viz:  in  the  8th  month,  1632.  Hannah,  his  first  born 
daughter,  was  born  the  17th  day  of  7th  month,  Anno,  1633 : 
John,  his  fir?:t-born  son,  was  born  31  of  6th,  1636:  Joseph,  born 
20ih,  10th,  1638:  Samuel,  born  22d  of  4th,  1641:  Aaron,  born 
19th  of  12th,  1643  :  Benjamin,  29th  of  11th,  1646. 

Philip  Eliot,  the  brother  of  John,  came  in  1635,  freeman  in 
1636.  He  was  a  man  of  influence  in  the  town,  being  often  se- 
lectman. He  was  feoffee  of  the  school  property,  commissioner 
for  government  of  the  town,  deputy,  several  years  a  representa- 
tive, and  for  a  long  time  deacon  of  the  church.  He  died  in  1657, 
the  22d  of  the  Sth  month.  The  church  records  thus  give  his 
character.  "He  was  a  man  of  grace  and -very  faithful,  lively, 
useful  and  active  for  God."  In  the  school  records,  or  history,  he 
is  not  named  as  teacher,  but,  from  the  documents,  it  appears 
that  he  was  chosen  a  teacher  of  the  free  school.  His  property 
was  appraised  in  1658  at  £810  :  01  :  10.  His  will  provided  that, 
after  the  death  of  his  widow  Elizabeth,  Richard  Withington  of 
Dorchester,  John  Aldis  of  Dedham,  and  John  Smith  of  Dedham, 
should  make  division  of  his  property  in  right  of  their  wives.  He 
lived  west  of  Stony  River. 

John  Evans. 

Jacob  Eliot,  senior.  In  1661,  an  inventory  was  taken  of  his 
property,  in  which  he  is  spoken  of -as  "  formerly  deceased."  It 
names  "  Jacob  Eliot,  jr."  "  mares  and  colts  at  Brantry  with  Fran- 
cis Eliot,"  and  a  "  mare  at  Sudbury." 

Margery  Eliot  died  in  1662,  worth  £294  :  19  :  08. 

Samuel  Finch  was  made  freeman  in  1634.  His  wife  was  Mar- 
tha.    He  lived  near  Hugh  Pritchard. 

Mr.  Joshua  Foote  had  house  and  four  acres  next  to  Thomas 
Weld's. 

Robert  Gamblin,  jr.  came  in  1632,  and  brought  with  him  John 
Mayo,  the  son  of  his   former   wife.     Hin  wife's  name  wa^   Eliz- 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  119 

abeth.  His  father  settled  in  Concord.  He  settled  on  Stonj'  Riv- 
er, just  North  of  Thomas  Bell's.  The  children  born  to  him  here 
were  Elizabeth,  born  June  24,  1634;  Joseph,  born  March  14, 
1636;  Benjamin,  born  1639;  Mary,  born  March  6,  1641.  He 
was  made  freeman  in  1634,  and  was  a  person  of  some  weight  in 
town  concerns.  Gamblin's  End,  no  doubt,  took  its  name  from 
him.     One  of  his  daughters  married  Isaac  Chenery. 

Mary  Gamlin,  a  maid  servant,  daughter  of  Robert  Gamlin,  sen- 
ior, came  in  1632,  and  died  in  1633. 

Arthiir  Gary,  or  Gery,  (see  Gary,)  had  a  house  with  five  acres 
next  to  William  Heaths.     He  died  in  1666. 

William  Gary  had  a  homestead  of  five  acres,  west  of  Stony 
River. 

Thomas  Garner,  or  Gardner,  married  Lucy  Smith,  1641,  had 
Andrew,  born  March  5,  1641  ;  Thomas,  born  1645 ;  Abigail, 
born  Feb.  15,  1645,  died  1649  :  Mary,  born  April  9,  1647;  Pe- 
ter, baptized  Sept.  8,  1650.     He  died  July  15,  16S9. 

"  Our  aged  Sister"  Gardner,  died  1658. 

Peter  Gar djier,  or  Garner,  married  Rebecca  Groote  in  1646; 
had  son  Peter,  June  24,  1647;  Rebecca,  baptized  Nov.  9,  1647. 

Samuel  Garner  and  Lieut.  Samuel  Garner,  are  named  in  the 
records  as  slain  by  the  Indians  in  1676.  Samuel  was  son  of  Pe- 
ter. 

Mr.  John  Gore  was  freeman  in  1637.  His  son  John  was  born 
in  England,  May  23,  1634.  Obadiah  was  born  here  June  27, 
1636,  and  died,"  1646;  Abigail,  born  Aug.  5,  1641,  died,  1642; 
Abigail,  baptised  May  5,  1643;  Hannah,  born  May  5,  1645; 
Obadiah,  baptised,  1649.  His  homestead  of  four  acres,  was  west 
of  Stony  River,  and  bounded  on  the  way  leading  to  the  landing 
place  and  tide  mill.  He  died  in  1657.  The  children  of  his  who 
were  then  living,  were  John,  Mary,  Samuel,  Abigail  and  Hannah. 
John  was  clerk  of  the  writs  in  1632.  Governor  Gore  was  of  this 
family. 


120  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

John  Gorton,  whose  wife  was  named  Mary,  died,  1636.  He 
had  six  acres  called  the  "Wolf's  Trapp,"  east  of  the  Dorchester 
road,  bounded  on  William  Parke's  and  William  Cheney's.  His 
daughter  Mary  died  Aug.,  1636.  He  had  Mary,  born  1641; 
Sarah,  baptized  Jan.  4,  1643  ;  Mary,  baptized  July  6,  1646. 

Daniel  Googan  had  daughter  Elizabeth  in  1644. 

John  Graves  came  in  1633,  freeman,  1637.  His  wife  was  Ju- 
dith Ahvard.  They  were  married  in  1635.  They  had  Hannah, 
born  1636.  They  brought  five  children.  He  died  in  1644, 
leaving  Jonathan,  John,  Mary,  and  Samuel.  The  will  of  John 
Graves,  junior,  is  recorded  in  1646. 

Old  Mrs.  Graves  died  in  1644,  aged  SO  years. 

Richard  Goade  married  Phebe  Hews  in  1639.  Children,  John 
and  Hannah,  baptized  1643.  Hannah,  born  1641 ;  Mary,  born 
June  23,  1644;  Phebe,  born  March  12,  1646;  Joseph,  born  Sep. 
21,  1647,  died,  164S.  He  had  a  homestead  of  three  acres  on 
the  Dorchester  road. 

Thomas  Griggs  married  Mary  Green  in  1640.  His  former 
wife  died  in  1639.     He  died  in  1646. 

Samuel  Hagboriie,  or  Hugburne,  or  Haeburne,  had  children, 
Elizabeth,  born  April  24,  1635;  Samuel,  born  1637;  John,  born 
1640  ;  Hannah,  born  Jan.  5,  1642.  He  lived  East  of  the  Street 
now  Roxbury  Street.  He  died  in  1642,  the  24th  of  the  11th 
month.  He  was  a  rich  man.  In  his  will  he  provided  that  ten 
shillings  per  annum  should  be  paid  to  the  free  schools  of  the 
towne,  when  they  should  set  one  up,  out  of  the  neck,  then  and 
long  afterwards  called  Hagburne's  or  Haeburne's  neck,  and  ten 
shillings  out  of  the  house  and  home  lot.  His  "widow"  is  named 
in  the  Church  records. 

John  Hale.     [Name  alone.] 

Margery  Hammond,  a  maid  servant,  came  in  1632,  and  was 
married  to  John  Ruggles. 

Hanchct,  the  same  name  probably  as  Hansett,  married  Eliza- 
beth Perry  in  1644.     Had  son,  Thomas,  in  Oct.,  1645  ;  Samuel 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  121 

died,  1646  ;  Hannah,  one  born  in  1647 — another  born  Oct.  14, 
1649,  died,  1649. 

Robert  Harris,  married  Elizabeth  BofTer  in  1642,  had  child 
Elizabeth,  born  1644,  and  Timothy,  baptized  July  9,  1650. 

William  Heath  came  in  1632,  and  brought  five  children,  Mary, 
Isaac,  Martha,  Peleg,  Hannah.  He  was  freeman  in  1632-3,  and 
representative  to  the  first  general  court,  and  for  six  years.  He 
died  in  1652,  an  "  able,  godly  and  faithful  brother."  His  first 
wife  (and  daughter  Mary)  were  named  Speare. 

Isaac  Heath  was  made  freeman  in  1636,  was  representative  in 
1637-S.  An  infant  child  of  his  died  in  1641.  His  house  was 
west  of  the  road  that  led  from  Boston  to  the  meeting  house.  He 
was  ruling  elder,  and  brother  to  William,  He  was  one  of  the 
chief  men  in  town. 

Isaac  Heath,  (probably  a  son)  was  made  freeman  in  1652,  mar- 
ried Mary  Davis  in  1650,  had  son,  Isaac,  born  1655.  He  lived 
on  Stony  River,  and  had  four  acres  there,  bounded  West  on  high- 
way on  the  hill. 

Israel  Heath  was  a  representative  in  1636-7. 

Peleg  Heath  was  freeman  in  1652, 

William  Healey  was  here  in  1647.  He  had  a  house  and  mill 
lot  of  three  acres,  bounded  South  on  the  highway.  North  on  Hugh 
Prichard,  (who  lived  east  of  the  road  to  Brookline)  West  on  the 
way  to  the  landing  place.  Elizabeth  was  born  Nov.  9,  1647  ; 
Samuel  died  1646. 

Ralph  Hemijigioay,  or  Hemenway,  "  a  man  servant,"  married 
Elizabeth  Hews  in  1634,  and  was  made  freeman  the  same  year. 
His  daughter  Mary  died  April  4,  1634.  He  had  children,  Mary, 
born  May  1,  1635  ;  Samuel,  born  June,  1636  ;  Ruth,  born  Sept. 
21,  163S  ;  John,  born  1641  ;  Joshua,  born  1643  :  Elizabeth,  born 
May  31,  1635;  Mary,  born  April  7,  1647.  He  lived  at  the  East 
end  of  the  town.  His  death  is  recorded  in  1699,  He  seems  to 
have  been  active  in  town  affairs, 
16 


122  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I, 

Joshua  Heioes,  or  Hues,  came  in  1633,  married  Mary  Goldstone 
in  1634.  He  had  Joshua,  born  and  died  in  1639,  and  it  is  said 
another  Joshua  in  1639  ;  Mary,  born  Dec.  29,  1641 ;  Joshua, 
born  1644. 

William  Hills,  a  man  servant,  came  in  1632,  freeman  in  1634, 
married  Phillis,  daughter  of  Richard  Lyman.  They  removed  to 
Hartford,  Conn. 

Thomas  Hills.,  a  man  servant,  came  in  1633. 

George  Holmes  had  a  son  Nathaniel,  born  1639,  who  was  af- 
terwards a  representative  in  1689,  and  a  daughter  Deborah,  born 
and  died  in  1641  ;  and  an  infant,  in  1642  ;  another  Deborah  died 
1646.  His  homestead  of  five  acres  was  North  of  the  way  to  Dor- 
chester Brook,  next  to  Thomas  Pigg's. 

Abram  Hoio  had  children,  Isaac,  born  June  24,  1639  ;  Israel, 
born  1644 ;  Deborah,  born  Sept.  4,  1641.  His  wife  died  1645. 
He  died  in  1683. 

Isaac  Johnson  was  made  freeman  in  1635.  In  1636  he  mar- 
ried Elizabeth  Porter.  He  had  children,  Elizabeth,  baptized  Dec. 
25,  1637  ;  John,  born  Nov.  3,  1639  ;  Joseph,  born  and  died  1645  ; 
Mary,  born  April  24,  1642;  Nathaniel,  born  1647;  Isaac,  born 
1648.  He  was  a  representative,  and  captain  of  the  artillery  com- 
pany. Captain  Johnson  and  five  other  captains  were  killed  by 
the  Indians  at  the  taking  of  fort  Narragansett,  Dec.  19,  1675. 

John  Johnson,  freeman  in  1631.  He  was  generally  in  public 
life.  He  represented  this  town  in  the  first  general  court,  and  for 
fourteen  years  afterwards.  He  was  a  military  man  also,  and  was 
"  appoynted  surveyor  generall  of  all  ye  armyes."  The  public 
stores  were  placed  in  his  house,  and  it  was  when  that  was  burnt 
and  blown  up  that  the  town  records  were  destroyed.  He  died 
Sept.  29,  1659,  leaving  £660.  He  kept  tavern.  Many  public 
meetings  were  held  at  Brother  Johnson's. 

Edward  Johnson  owned  a  house  and  two  acres  or  more  joining 
the  clay  pits. 

Humphrey  Johnson  married  Ellen  Cheney  in  1642.  They  had 
a  child,  Mehitable,  1644  ;  Martha,  Sept.  12,  1647. 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  123 

Lewis  Jones  had  daughter,  Phebe,  born  1645,  she  died  1650. 

Thovias  Lavib  came  in  1630,  and  brought  his  wife  Elizabeth, 
and  two  children,  Thomas  and  John.  He  had  also  Samuel,  born 
1630,  and  baptized  at  Dorchester;  Benjamin,  born  1639;  Caleb, 
born  1641 ;  Joshua,  born  1642.  He  lost  his  wife  in  1639,  and 
married  Dorothy  Harbittle  in  1640.  His  sons  went  to  Spring- 
field and  Watertown.  He  died  in  1646,  and  left  £112  :  OS  :  01. 
He  had  a  homestead  of  eighteen  acres,  betwixt  the  meetinghouse 
and  Stony  River,  adjoining  the  lol.s  of  Isaac  Heath  and  John 
Johnson. 

John  Leavens,  or  Levinz,  came  In  1632,  freeman  in  1634.  In 
1639  he  married  Rachel  Wright.  They  had  John,  born  1640; 
James,  born  1642  ;  Peter  and  Andrew,  born  1644 ;  Peter,  one  of 
the  twins,  died  1644  ;  Rachel,  born  Aug.  1646.  He  lived  on  the 
Dorchester  road,  where  he  had  a  lot  of  seven  acres  and  house. 
He  died  in  1647,  15th,  9th,  "  an  ancient  godly  christian."  His 
first  wife  Elizabeth  died  Oct.  10,  1638. 

William  L£tvis  came  over  in  1630,  and  was  a  proprietor  of 
Cambridge  and  admitted  freeman  in  1632,  but  returned  to  En- 
gland and  was  married  there.  He  had  two  sons  born  in  England, 
John,  born  Nov.  1,  1635 ;  Christopher,  born  1636.  Lydia  was 
born  here  1640 ;  Josiah,  born  1641.  He  lived  next  to  William 
Heath's. 

William  Lijon  came  in  1635,  married  Sarah  Ruggles  in  1646. 
John  was  born  1647,  April  10  ;  Thomas,  baptized  Aug.  8,  1648 ; 
Samuel,  June  10,  1650. 

Richard  Lyman,  freeman  in  1633,  came  in  1631,  and  brought 
Phillis,  Richard,  Sarah  and  John.  "  He  was  an  ancient  chris- 
tian, but  weak.  He  went  to  Conecticot,  and  met  great  affliction 
for  going  near  winter,"  lost  his  cattle,  &c.     He  died  in  1640. 

John  Mathew  had  children,  Gertham,  born  1641 ;  Elizabeth, 
born  1643.  He  is  said  to  have  removed  to  Springfield,  and  died 
in  1684.  "  Being  convict  of  notorious  drunkenness  and  not  hold- 
ing remorse,  he  was  excommiftiicated." 

Bobert  Mason,  his  wife  was  buried  in  1637. 


124  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

John  Mayo,  son  of  Robert  Gamblin's  wife  by  a  former  husband, 
came  in  1632,  "but  a  child."  He  married  Hannah  Graves.  His 
sister  was  "a  very  gracious  maiden." 

John  Mayes  had  a  house  and  lot  between  Thomas  Bells  and 
Robert  Gamblins,  on  Stony  River, 

Philip  Meadows  married  Elizabeth  Ingulden  in  1641.  They 
had  a  child,  Hannah,  born  1642. 

Thomas  Meakings  married  Elizabeth  Talston,  She  died  in 
1650.  The  same  year,  Sister  Meakings,  the  old  woman,  mother 
to  brother  Meakings,  died-  Thomas  had  daughter  Hannah,  born 
March  13,  1647. 

M?-.  Johi  Miller,  a  preacher,  came  to  this  country  in  1637, 
His  daughter  Mehitable  was  born  here  in  163S,  and  Susannah  in 
1648.  He  went  afterwards  to  Rowley,  where  he  was  minister, 
and  held  various  offices.     He  died  in  1663,  at  Groton. 

Isaac  Morell  was  born  in  1588,  and  came  out  in  1632 ;  he  was 
freeman  in  1632-3.  He  had  the  following  children  here,  viz  : 
Isaac,  born  Nov.  27,  1632,  died  Jan.  31,  1633;  Hannah,  born 
Sept.  12,  1636  ;  Abram,  born  1640.  Elizabeth  his  daughter  died 
in  May,  1638.  Sarah,  a  daughter  of  his,  married  Davis,  and 
died  in  1648.  He  had  two  houses  and  two  forges.  In  1720, 
one  of  these  belonged  to  Samuel  Stevens,  his  great  grand  son. 
He  died  in  1661.  His  will  names  his  children  Catharine  (Smith,) 
and  the  wife  of  Daniel  Bruer. 

James  Morgaine  married  Margery  Hill  in  1640.  His  son  John 
was  baptized  Sept.  30,  1645.  Hannah,  born  July  IS,  1642.  In 
1651  he  was  here. 

Abraham  Newell  came  in  1634,  and  brought  with  him  Ruth, 
Grace,  Abraham,  John,  Isaac  and  Jacob.  One  of  his  daughters 
married  William  Toy.  He  died  in  1672,  at  the  age  of  ninety- 
one. 

Robert  Onion.  A  child  of  his  died  in  1642.  His  wife,  Mary, 
died  4th,  2d  mo.,  1643.  • 

Edmund  Parker  married  Elizabeth  How  in  1647. 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxburv.  125 

Nicholas  Parker,  with  Ann,  his  wife,  came  in  1633  and  brouglil 
Mary  and  Nicholas  :  Joanna  was  born  in  ]635.  They  removed 
to  Boston. 

William  Parker  had  children,  Theodore, born  July  26th,  1637  ; 
Hannah,  born  August  2S,  1639,  died  1646  ;  John,  born  June  30, 
1645. 

Deacon  William  Parke  came  in  1630  ;  "was  one  of  the  first 
in  the  Church  at  Rocksbrough."  He  afterwards  married  Martha 
Holgrave,  of  Salem.  Martha  was  born  May  2,  1641;  Sarah, 
baptized  Nov.  19,  1643  ;  John,  a  son  of  his,  died  in  1646,  not  a 
year  old  ;  Deborah  died  in  1649,  the  14th  of  6ih  month.  He 
lived  on  the  North  side  of  the  road  to  Dorchester.  He  was  rep- 
resentative of  the  town  for  thirty-three  years,  often  selectman, 
and  a  man  of  influence.  "He  was  a  man  of  pregnant  under- 
standing and  useful  in  his  place."     He  died  in  1685. 

Giles  Pason,  or  Payson,  came  in  1635,  married  Elizabeth 
Dowell  in  1637.  They  had  children — Elizabeth,  born  in  1639, 
and  died,  1639  ;  Samuel,  born  Nov.  7,  1641 ;  Elizabeth,  born 
Feb.  14,  1644 ;  Sarah,  born  July  16,  1648.  He  was  a  man  who 
held  town  offices  often.  He  died  in  16SS.  His  homestead  of 
five  acres  was  on  the  Dorchester  road.     He  was  deacon. 

Edward  Payson,  a  man  servant,  married  Ann  Parke  in  1640. 
She  died  in  1641,  and,  the  next  year,  he  married  Mary  Eliot. — 
His  children  were  Marah,  born  Sept.  22,  1641  ;  John,  born  June 
11,  1643;  Jonathan,  born  Dec.  19,  1644;  Ann,  born  April  26, 
1646  ;  Joanna,  born  1649.  He  had  afterwards  a  son  Edward,  a 
clergyman  of  Rowley,  whose  descendants  are  numerous. 

Joseph  Patching  married  Elizabeth  Ingulden  in  1642. 

Christopher  Peake,  freeman  in  1635,  married  Dorcas  French 
in  1636.  They  had  Jonathan,  born  Oct.  17,  1637,  Dorcas,  born 
1639  ;  Hannah,  born  Jan.  25,  1642  ;  Joseph,  born  Feb.  12,  1644. 
He  died  in  1666.     An  infant  died  1647. 

Richard  Peacock  had  Samuel  in  1639  ;  Caleb,  March  1,  1641. 
He  died  at  Boston  in  1691. 

William  Perkins  lost  a  son  William  in  1639.  Another  of  the 
same  name  was  born  in  1641. 


126  HISTORY    OF    ROXBIJRY.  PaRT  1.] 

John  Perry  was  freeman  in  1633.  His  son  John  was  born  in 
1639.  He  died  in  1642.  His  heirs  occupied  his  place  of  two 
acres  on  Heath's  Lane,  on  the  South  side,  and  East  of  the  high- 
way leading  from  it.  Besides  John,  he  had  Elizabeth,  born  Jan. 
25lh,  1647  ;  Samuel,  born  March  1,  1640. 

Robert  Pepper  married  Elizabeth  Johnson,  March  14,  1642. 
She  died  in  1643.  He  was  made  freeman  in  1643,  and  was  at 
Springfield  as  early  as  1645.  His  children  were  Elizabeth,  born 
May  25,  1645;  John,  born  April  8,  1647;  Joseph,  born  March 
18ih,  1649.  His  homestead  of  two  acres  was  West  of  Stony 
River.  He  died  in  1682.  In  1675,  Robert  Pepper  was  captured 
by  the  Indians  on  his  way  to  Northfield. 

John  Pettit.     [Only  his  name  occurs.] 

Thomas  Pigge  was  here  in  1634,  and  made  freeman  that  year. 
His  wife  was  named  Martha.  They  had  a  daughter  Martha  in 
1642.  He  died  at  Dedham  in  1644.  His  homestead  of  three 
acres  was  on  Dorchester  Brook,  between  land  of  George  Holmes 
and  Ralph  Hemingway.  His  children  named  in  his  will,  are 
Thomas,  John,  Henry,  Saray,  Mathew,  Mary. 

Christopher  Pickett  married  Elizabeth  Stowe  in  1647. 

John  Pierpont  was  son  of  John,  who  came  from  England,  and 
settled  in  Ipswich.  He  had  five  children,  John,  who  died  with- 
out issue  ;  James,  called  in  an  old  agreement,  "a  student  in  ye 
liberall  arts,"  who  was  a  preacher,  and  settled  in  New  Haven  ; 
Joseph,  who  had  no  children  ;  Ebenezer  ;  Benjamin,  who  died 
without  children  ;  and  Experience.  A  daughter  Thankful  was 
born  Nov.  26,  1649,  and  died  Dec.  16,  1649.  John  was  grantee 
of  the  will  in  1655,  and  died  in  1682,  at  the  age  of  64.  He  prob- 
ably came  to  Roxbury  about  the  year  1648,  when  he  bought  John 
Stowe's  place  on  the  hill. 

Edward  Porter  came  in  1636,  and  brought  with  him  John, 
about  three  years  old,  and  William,  about  one  year.  His  daugh- 
ter Elizabeth  was  born  Dec.  25,  1637  ;  Hannah,  born  October  18, 
1639;  Mary,  born  1642 ;  Joseph,  born  1644;  Deborah,  born 
April  26,  1646.     Had  hom.eslcad  of  thirty  acres. 


Part  l.]  history  of  roxbury.  127 

William  Potter  married  Judith  Graves  in  1646. 

John  Polly  died  in  1690.  His  homestead  ofeightcn  acres  was 
on  the  way  to  Beare  Marsh.  He  had  twins,  Mary,  and  Sarah, 
born  June  2,  1650. 

Valentine  Prentice  "came  to  this  land  in  the  year  1631,  and 
joined  the  church  in  1632.  He  brought  but  one  child,  his  son 
John,  and  buried  another  at  sea.  He  lived  a  godly  life,  and  went 
through  much  affliction  by  bodily  infirmity,  and  died,  leaving  a 
good  cup  of  gentleness  behind  him."  His  wife  Alice,  after  his 
death,  married  John  Watson. 

Willia?)i  Pynchon,  commonly  called  the  founder  of  Roxbury, 
came  in  1630,  and  was  one  of  the  first  foundation  of  the  church. 
He  brought  with  him  his  wife,  who  died  soon  after  they  came, 
and  his  children  Ann,  Mary,  John,  and  Margaret.  After  some 
years  he  married  Mrs.  Frances  Samford  of  Dorchester,  a  grave 
matron  of  the  church.  When  so  many  went  to  plant  Conecticot, 
he  also  went  with  others,  and  settled  at  a  place  called  Agawam. 
Mr.  Pinchin,  as  he  is  called  in  the  account,  went  to  the  "  Conec- 
tico"  to  better  his  estate  by  trading  with  the  Indians,  and  they 
engaged  particularly  in  the  beaver  trade,  till  the  "  merchants  en- 
creased  so  many  that  it  became  little  worth,  by  reason  of  their 
out  buying  one  another,  which  caused  them  to  live  on  husband- 
ry." He  was  dismissed  to  the  Winsor  church,  till  they  should 
form  a  church  themselves.     This  was  in  1636. 

"  Afterwards  he  wrote  a  dialogue  concerning  justification  which 
was  printed  anno  1650,  stiled  the  meretorious  price,  a  book  full 
of  errors  and  weaknesse  and  some  Heresy,  which  the  general 
court  of  Massachusetts  condemned  to  be  burnt,  and  appointed  Mr. 
Norton,  the  teacher  at  Ipswich,  to  refute  the  errors  contained 
therein."  It  is  said  by  a  clergyman  of  this  day  who  seems  to 
endorse  the  judgment  of  the  court,  that  "  the  grand  error  of  this 
book  consisted  in  regarding  the  sufferings  of  Christ  as  merely 
'  trials  of  his  obedience,'  and  of  course  it  was  the  first  heretical 
work  on  the  Atonement  that  was  written  in  this  country."  The 
great  and  general  court,  to  show  they  had  not  forgotten  the  les- 
sons taught  them  in  England,  and  as  if  they  were  a  body  cleri- 
cal, drew  up  and  passed  a  very  long  and  virulent  Protest,  "to  sat- 


128  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

isfy  all  men  that  the  court  did  utterly  decline  and  detest  it  as 
erroneous  and  dangerous."  They  ordered  the  book  to  be  burned 
by  the  executioner  in  the  market  place  immediately  after  Lecture, 
(the  lime  when  they  used  to  hang  men,)  summoned  Pynchon  to 
appear,  and  promised  to  "  proceed  with"  him  if  he  did  not  retract 
and  give  full  satisfaction  by  another  book  to  be  printed  here  and 
in  England.  He  did  make  some  explanation  or  retraction  in 
May,  1651  and  he  appeared  before  the  court  again  in  the  fall  of 
that  year.  But  the  court  suspended  its  sentence,  and  Pynchon, 
probably  fearing  what  might  come  from  them,  returned  to  En- 
gland. He  well  knevv  what  it  was  to  encounter  heresy-haters  of 
the  school  of  Dudley.  The  colony  had  furnished  him  some  les- 
sons. He  fied  for  safety  from  their  persecution  to  the  place 
whence  persecution  had  driven  them. 

He  died  in  England,  at  Wraisbury,  in  October,  1662,  aged  72 
or  74. 

Pynchon  was  highly  esteemed  at  the  time  the  colony  came 
out.  He  was  chosen  assistant  in  1628.  He  was  one  of  the  most 
influential  men  in  settling  the  colony.  He  was  at  one  time  its 
Treasurer,  and  was  esteemed  for  his  piety,  learning,  integrity  and 
ability. 

His  daughter  Anna  married  Henry  Smith,  son  to  Mrs.  Samford 
by  a  former  husband,  "a  wise  and  godly  young  man,"  who  went 
to  Agawam.  Margaret  married  captain  William  Davis,  Mary 
married  Mr.  Edward  Holyoke,  son  of  Mr.  Holyoke  of  Lynn,  "Mr. 
Pynchon's  antient  friend." 

I  can  find  no  trace  of  the  place  of  Mr.  Pynchon's  residence. 

Thomas  Raivlings  came  with  the  first  company  in  1630.  He 
brought  his  wife  Mary,  and  his  children,  Thomas,  Mary,  Joan, 
Nathaniel  and  John.     He  removed  to  Scituate. 

Jolm  Remington,  had  lot  on  the  Brookline  road. 

Edward  Riggs,  freeman  in  1634,  married  Elizabeth  Rooke  in 
1635;  she  was  buried  October,  1635.  Lydia  was  buried  in  Au- 
gust, 1633  ;  Elizabeth,  buried  May,  1634,  and  John  in  October, 
1634.  The  death  of  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Edward  Riggs,  is  record- 
ed in  1669. 

Thomas  Roone  married  Hannah  Rowe,  April  15,  1644. 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  129 

John  Roberts  came  in  1636  and  brought  his  wife  Elizabeth,  his 
aged  mother  and  his  children,  Thomas,  Edward,  Eliza,  Margery, 
Jane,  Alice,  Lidia,  Ruth  and  Debora.  "He  was  one  of  the  first 
fruits  of  Wales."  He  died  in  1650.  "Old  mother  Roberts,"  the 
Welchworaan,  died  in  1646,  aged  one  hundred  and  three, 

John  Ruggles,  or  Ruggells,  a  shoe-maker,  aged  44,  and  his 
wife  Barbara,  aged  30,  came  in  the  Hopewell,  in  1635,  in  the 
month  of  April.  "He  joined  the  Church  soon  after  his  coming. 
He  was  a  lively  Christian,  known  to  many  of  the  Church  in  Old 
England,  when  they  met  socially  together."  He  was  made  free- 
man in  1637.  He  brought  his  son  with  him.  In  the  list  of  pas- 
sengers, there  are  named  John  Ruggles,  aged  2,  and  John  Rug- 
gles,  aged  10.  One  of  them  was  probably  the  son  of  Thomas. 
John  lived  beyond  Stony  River,  on  the  Brookline  road.  His 
wife  died  11th  mo.,  1636.  He  died  6th,  Sih  mo„  1664.  He  left 
three  sons,  John,  Thomas  and  Samuel.     His  estate  was  £343. 

Thomas  R^cggles,  an  elder  brother  of  John,  came  in  1637,  with 
Mary,  his  wife.  He  was  made  freeman  in  1639.  "They  were 
both  children  of  a  godly  father.  He  was  as  well  known  as  his 
brother."  He  brought  over  with  him  his  children,  Sarah  and 
Samuel.  His  first  born  child  died  in  England,  His  second, 
named  John,  was  brought  out  as  a  servant  to  Philip  Eliot. — 
"Thomas  had  a  great  sicknesse  the  first  year,  but  God  recovered 
him."     He  died  in  1644,  "a  Godly  brother," 

John  Ruggles,  "  the  son  of  Thomas,"  married  Abigail  Crafts 
in  1650,  January  24,  died  Sept,  15,  1658,  He  had  sons  John, 
Thomas  and  SamueL 

Samuel  Ruggles,  another  son  of  Thomas,  and  brother  of  the 
preceding,  had  two  or  three  acres  on  I'ond  hill.  He  married 
Hannah  Fowles  in  1657,  He  was  a  representative  of  the  town. 
His  wife  Hanoah  and  two  children  died  in  1669. 

John  Ruggles,  had  a  son  John  ;  his  wife  was  Mary  ;  he  was 
brother  in  lavir  to  Edward  Bridges.  One  John  Ruggles  was 
freeman  in  1632. 

John  Scarboro  was  freeman  in  1640.     An   infant  of  his  named 
John,  died  in  1642,     Hannah,  born  Dec.  3,  1643,     He  had  also 
17 


130  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

Samuel,  born  Jan.  Jan.  20,  1645.     He  was  slain  the  4th  of  the 
9th  month,  1646,  "charging  a  great  gunnee." 

Robert  Seaver,  freeman  in  1637,  married  Elizabeth  Allard  in 
1634.  He  had  children,  Shubael,  born  Jan.  31,  1639  ;  Caleb, 
born  1641;  Joshua,  born  1641  ;  and  Nathaniel,  baptized  Jan.  8, 
1645.  His  wife  died  in  1656.  He  died  in  16S2.  His  home- 
stead was  on  the  River.  ' 

Edmund  Sheffield  married  Mary  Woody  in  1644.  John  was 
born  in  1644. 

John  Smith  married  Catharine  Morrell  in  1647. 

Abraham  Smith. 

Francis  Smith.  Andrew,  his  son,  died  in  1639,  He  had  a 
house  and  three  and  an  half  acres  towards  Dorchester. 

Robert  Starkweather.  Elizabeth  was  baptized  in  1643  ;  Lydia, 
born  June  23,  1644. 

Martin  Stebbins  married  Jane  Green  in  1639.  His  daughter 
Hannah  was  born  in  1640;  Mary,  born  Feb.  1,  1642;  Nathaniel, 
born  March  22,  1644. 

Johii  Stebbins  married  Ann  Munke  in  1644.  "She  was  so  vio- 
lent of  passion,  that  she  offered  violence  to  her  husband,  which 
being  of  such  infamy  she  was  cast  out  of  church." 

John  &7o?,«e  brought  his  wife  Elizabeth  and  six  children,  Thom- 
as, Elizabeth,  John,  Nathaniel,  Samuel,  Thankful.  He  was 
made  freeman  in  1634,  and  was  a  representative  in  1639.  His 
wife  died  in  1638.  His  son  Samuel  graduated  at  Harvard  in 
1645.     He  died  in  1643,  "  an  old  Kentish  man." 

John  Stonehard,  (or  Stonnard)  died  in  1649.  He  was  here  in 
1645,  wlien  he  made  a  mortgage  of  his  house  and*  lands,  which 
was  discharged,  in  the  margin  of  the  record,  in  1646. 

Thomas  Stowe  married  Mary  Gragg  in  1639.  In  1648  he  had 
removed  to  Concord.  He  owned  two  houses  and  sold  them  to 
John  Pierpont  for  £110. 

Hugh  Thomas  had  a  place  on  the  road  leading  to  Brookline. 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxburt.  131 

Thomas  Thome.  His  children,  Desire  and  Truth,  were  bap- 
tized March  22,  1644. 

Philip  Tory  married  Mary  Scarboro  in  1647.  Joseph  was 
born  July  2,  1649. 

John  Totman.  His  son  Jabesh  was  born  Nov.  10,  1641.  His 
house  was  on  the  highway  leading  to  the  pond,  beyond  William 
Curtis'. 

William  Toy  married  Grace  Newell  in  1644. 

John  TrxLmhle^  freeman  in  1640,  probably  went  to  Rowley. 

John  Turner  had  a  daughter  Elizabeth  in  1647.  Goodwife 
Turner  died  Sth  7ih  mo.   1647. 

William  Vassaile  was  a  gentleman  of  good  circumstances  in 
England,  and  one  of  the  assistants.  He  came  out  first  in  the 
Lion,  in  1630,  but  returned  to  England  and  came  back — 
and  settled  in  Scituate,  where  he  owned  an  estate  known  as 
Belle  Neck.  He  again  returned  to  England,  but  came  back  in 
1635,  in  the  Blessing,  to  this  country,  and  from  thence  he  went 
to  Barbadoes,  where  he  died.  He  brought  with  him  in  1635,  his 
wife  Anna,  and  Judith,  Francis,  John,  Margaret  and  Mary. — 
Though  a  member  of  the  Church,  he  is  said  to  have  been  op- 
posed to  the  ways  of  our  Churches,  and  "a  busy  and  factious 
spirit."  Just  before  Vassaile  went  to  England  in  1646,  Rev.  Mr. 
Cotton  preached  at  the  Thursday  Lecture  in  Boston,  and  said  if 
any  person  should  carry  any  writings  or  complaints  against  the 
people  of  God,  to  England,  it  would  be  as  Jonas  in  the  ship,  and 
advised  shipmasters,  in  case  any  storms  should  arise,  to  search 
and  see  if  they  had  not  such  in  some  trunk,  or  somewhere,  and 
if  they  found  any  to  cast  it  overboard.  A  storm  did  arise,  and 
an  old  woman  applied  to  Vassaile  to  see  if  he  had  any  Jonas, 
and  he  told  her  he  had  only  a  petition  of  people  to  Parliament 
that  they  might  enjoy  their  liberties  as  English  subjects.  She 
insisted  on  finding  the  Jonas,  and  was  at  last  shown  a  copy  of  a 
petition  presented  to  Court  at  Boston,  and  threw  it  overboard. 
But  it  is  said  the  storm  did  not  abate  as  was  reported.  They 
had  storms  after,  and  the  genuine  petition  was  not  thrown  over, 
but  a  rnerc  copy. 


132  HISTORV    or    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

Samuel  Wakeman  came  in  1631.  He  was  one  of  the  first 
foundation  of  the  church.  His  only  child  died  at  sea  on  the  voy- 
age hither. 

Thomas  Waterman  lost  his  wife  Ann  in  1641.  He  died  in  1676. 

Dorcas  Walker  died  in  1640. 

John  Watson,  married  Alice  Prentis,  widow  of  Valentine 
Prentiss,  in  1634.  They  had  children,  John,  born  January, 
1634  :  Joshua,  born  Au^.  1637,  died  1639  ;  Dorcas,  born  1639  ; 
Caleb,  born  1641 ;  Mary,  born  May  2,  1643.  Farmer  supposes 
he  may  have  removed  to  Cambridge,  but  it  was  more  probably  his 
son  who  went  there.     He  died  in   Roxbury  in  1693. 

Mr.  Thomas  Welde,  or  Weld,  the  first  pastor  of  the  first  church, 
received  the  degree  A.  B.  at  Trinity  College  in  Cambridge  Uni- 
versity in  1613,  and  A.  M.  in  1618.  He  arrived  in  this  country 
June  5ih,  1632,  in  the  William  and  Frances.  He  had  been  a 
minister  at  Sterling,  Essex,  England.  He  was  chosen  pastor  of 
the  first  church.  After  many  importunings  and  days  of  humilia- 
tion by  those  of  Boston  and  Roxbury,  to  seek  the  Lord  for  Mr, 
Weld's  disposing,  the  advice  of  the  Plymouth  people  being 
taken,  he  resolved  to  set  down  at  Roxbury,  and  entered  on  his 
duties  in  July,  1632.  He  is  sometimes  named  as  colleague  to 
Mr.  Eliot,  and  settled  afterwards.  But  he  was  first  settled.  In 
the  list  of  ministers  Master  Weld  is  Pastor,  Master  Eliot,  Teach- 
er. The  duties  of  Pastor  were,  "  to  exhort  and  to  rule.  The 
teachers  were  to  instruct  in  knowledge  and  also  to  rule."  "Many 
were  esteemed  excellent  teachers  whom  they  would  not  invest 
with  the  pastoral  care." 

No  account  of  the  first  pastor  is  given  in  the  church  records. 
Mr.  Weld,  however,  took  a  conspicuous  part  in  the  affairs  of  the 
day.  It  is  said  that  he  was  amongst  the  most  active  and  bitter 
in  the  cruel  persecution  of  Anne  Hutchinson.  In  1637,  she  was 
comtnitied  to  his  custody.  He  was  one  of  the  most  influential 
men  at  that  period,  and  was,  of  course,  looked  to  for  his  position 
and  learning.  No  doubt  his  own  honest  opinions  and  principles 
led  him  to  lake  an  active  part  in  tlie  religious  controversies.  It 
was  a  time  when  men  made  a  boast  of  their  own  bigotry  and  in- 
tolerance.    But  it  is  hard   to  conceive  how  men    of  his   stamp 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxbury.  133 

should  so  soon  have. forgotten  why  they  came  to  this  couniry,  or 
how  they  could  ever  have  been  guilty  of  offering  violence  to  oth- 
ers for  difference  of  opinion,  unless  there  be  in  human  nature  a 
proneness  to  retaliation.  But  the  censures  that  belong  to  the 
time  must  not  be  visited  unon  the  man,  except  m  so  far  as  he,  be- 
ing above  others,  ought  the  more  to  have  been  above  their  errors 
and  follies.  The  Massachusetts  colony  has  on  its  early  history 
a  stain,  which,  more  than  any  other,  all  would  erase.  But  there 
does  not  appear  to  have  been  any  thing  else  that  should  be 
deemed  a  blot  on  the  character  of  Mr.  Weld. 

The  church  prospered  under  the  united  labor  of  Mr.  Weld  and 

'in  1G40-1,  the  colony  thought  advisable  to  have  agents  in  En- 
gland, and  they  chose  three  clergymen  to  go,  Hugh  Peters,  Mr. 
Weld,  and  Mr.  Hibbins,  of  Boston.  "  The  governor  moved  the 
church  for  him,  and,  after  some  time  of  consideration,  they  freely 
yielded."  He  went  by  way  of  Newfoundland,  where  he  preached 
to  the  seamen  on  the  Island,  and  got  a  passage  from  that  Island 
to  England  in  a  fishing  vessel. 

In  1646  Weld  was  dismissed  from  his  agency,  but  he  did  not 
return  to  New  England.  He  was  afterwards  settled  as  minister 
at  Gateshead.  He  went  to  Ireland  with  Lord  Forbes, but  return- 
ed again  to  England.  He  is  named  amongst  the  ministers  eject- 
ed in  1662.     The  time  of  his  death  is  uncertain. 

Mr  Weld  published,  in  1664,  "  a  short  story  of  the  Rise,  Reign 
and  Ruin  of  the  Antinomians,  Familists  and  Libertines,  that  in- 
fected the  churches  of  New  England."  He  was  the  author  of 
some  other  tracts.  He  aided  Eliot  and  Mather  in  the  New  En- 
Hand  version  of  the  Psalms. 

Whilst  in  Roxbury,  Mr.  Weld  lived  East  of  the  Town  street. 
In  Eliot's  letters  to  England  we  find  him  soliciting  aid  to  enable 
him  to  purchase  Weld's  library,  from  which  it  may  be  inferred 
that  he  was  well  supplied  with  literary  tools. 

Mr  Weld's  children  were  John,  who  was  a  minister  in  En- 
Hand;  Edmund,  who  graduated  at  Harvard  in  1650  ;  Thomas, 
who  married  Dorothy  Whiting  in  1650,  and  was  made  freeman 
in  1654,  chosen  clerk  of  the  writs  in  1666,  and  was,  several 
years,  a  representative,  and  a  man  of  influence  in  town.  Mr. 
Weld  may  have  had  other  children. 


134  HISTORY    OF    ROXBTJRY.  PaRT  I.] 

The  children   of  his   son   Thomas,  through  whom   the  family 

here  traces  its  descent,  were  Samuel,  who  died  in  1653;  Thomas, 

born    1653  ;  Samuel,  born   1655  ;  John,  born   1657,  died    1686  ; 

Edmund,  born  1650;  Daniel;  Dorothy;  Joseph;  and  Margaret. 

.Thomas  owned  the  Training  Field. 

Joseph  Weld,  was  made  freeman  in  1636.  He  was  brother  to 
the  first  minister.  His  son  Edmund  was  born  July  14lh,  1636. 
His  wife  Elizabeth  died  in  1638.  In  1639,  he  married  Barbary 
Clap.  They  had  children,  Sarah,  baptized  Dec.  21,  1640;  Dan- 
iel, born  Sept.  18,  1642,  and  graduated  at  Harvard  College,  1661, 
studied  divinity,  and  died  at  Salem;  Joseph,  baptized  and  died 
in  1645  ;  Marah,  born  1645 :  Thomas  died  Sept.  9,  1649.  He 
had  other  children. 

Joseph  Weld  was  captain,  representative  from  1636,  for  five 
years.  He  was  a  rich  man  and  kept  store  on  the  street.  His 
property  was  valued  at  £2028:  11  :  03.  He  died  the  Sth  of  7lh 
month,  1646.  His  widow  married  Anthony  Stoddard  of  Boston. 
Sarah  married  John  Ffranck  of  Boston,  and  Marah  married 
Comfort  Starr. 

John  Weld,  was  born  in  England,  Oct.  28,  1623,  and  came  to 
New  England  in  1638.  He  was  made  freeman  in  1650.  He 
was  son  of  the  preceding,  and  had  a  brother  Edward.  He  mar- 
ried Margaret  Bowen  in  1647.  His  son  Joseph  was  born  June 
6,  1649,  and  died  when  only  seventeen  days  old  ;  another  child 
of  the  same  name  was  baptized  Sept.  13,  1650.  His  house  was 
next  to  Robert  Seaver's  land,  bounded  on  the  brook  and  the  high- 
way to  Bare  Marsh.     He  died  Sept.  20,  1691. 

Daniel  Weld  was  admitted  freeman  in  1641.  He  was  admit- 
ted to  our  Church  in  1651,  being  recommended  from  the  Church 
at  Braintree.     His  wife   Alice   died   at    Braintree  in    1647.     In 

1654,  he  was  chosen  by  the  town  "to  record  births  and  burialls," 
and  in    1654,  clerk  of  the    writs.     He  had  a   son    Benjamin  in 

1655.  A  daughter  of  his  was  born  at  Braintree  in  1643.  He 
settled  at  first  on  the  Street,  where  he  had  a  lot  of  three  quarters 
of  an  acre  on  the  East  side  of  the  Street,  next  to  the  Training 
field,  between  Richard  Woody's  and  Thomas  Weld's,  but  he  af- 


Part  I.]  history  of  roxburv.  135 

lerwards  bought  a  place  of  John  Rawson,  near  Stony  River 
Bridoe,  where  he  died  July  22,  1666,  at  the  age  of  81. 

His  will,  which  was  executed  but  a  few  days  before  his  death, 
names  his  wife  Ann,  Joseph  and  Belhial,  also  Timothy  Hyde,  a 
child  of  his  wife. 

Daniel  Weld  was  Teacher  of  the  School. 

Laurence  Whittamore  came  with  his  wife,  in  the  Hopewell,  in 
April,  1635,  freeman  1637.  His  wife  died  13th  of  the  12lh 
month,  1642.  He  died  the  ISih  of  7th  month,  1644,  "an  antient 
Christian  of  80  years  of  age."  I  find  no  other  trace  of  him, 
save  in  connection  with  the  Free  School,  to  which  he  gave  all 
his  estate,  which  is  now  very  valuable. 

Robert  Williams,  who  is  said  to  have  been  of  Welch  origin, 
came  from  Norwich,  England,  and  was  admitted  freeman  in 
1638.  His  wife  was  named  Elizabeth.  They  had  a  son  Isaac, 
born  Sept.  1,  1638;  and  Stephen,  born  Nov.  28,  1640.  Another 
son,  Samuel,  who  was  afterwards  deacon,  was  born  before,  in 
England.  Thomas  was  born  afterwards.  Robert,  it  is  said,  is 
the  "common  ancestor  of  the  divines,  civilians  and  warriors  of 
this  name  who  have  honored  the  country  of  their  birth."  His 
homestead  of  five  acres  was  towards  Dorchester.  Some  of  his 
estate  remained  in  the  hands  of  his  descendants  till  1826.  Rob- 
ert Williams  was  one  of  the  most  influential  men  in  town  affairs. 

Hannah   Wilson  died  12ih  of  9ih,  1645. 

Thomas  Willson  came  4th  month,  1633,  and  brought  children, 
Humphrey,  Samuel,  Joshua.  Debora  was  born  1644,  and  Lidea 
in  1636.  "He  was  a  familist  afterwards,  but  repented."  He  re- 
moved from  Roxbury. 

Nathaiiiel  Wilso7i  married  Hannah  Crafts  in  1644.  They  had 
twins,  Hannah  and  Mary,  in  1647. 

Edv;ard  White  had  son  Zattariah,  born  1642  ;  Samuel,  born 
Feb.  27ih,  1644. 

Richard  Woody,  freeman  1642,  married  Frances  Dexter  in 
1646.     His  son  Thomas  died  in  1650.     His  house  was  next  the 


136  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

training  place,  between  Mr.  Eliot'ss  and  Daniel  Weld's.     He  died 
in  1658. 

John  Woody  died  in  1650. 

Nicholas  Woody  had  twins,  Mary  and  Sarah,  born  Dec.  26ih, 
1642. 

Thomas  Woodford,  man  servant,  came  in  1632,  married  Mary 
Blatt,  maid  servant,  who  came  out  the  same  year.  They  re- 
moved to  Hartford,  Conn. 

Nearly  all  the  original  emigrants  to  this  country,  had  gone  by 
the  year  1700. 

In  1646,  "died  Egbor,  an  Indian  who  had  lived  ten  years  with 
the  English,  and  could  read." 

The  same  year,  died  "iVaw,  Mr.  Weld's  captive  Indian,  he 
ivas  hopeful." 


CHAPTER    X. 

General   View  of  the   Town. 

Having  thus  noticed  the  first  generation  of  the  in- 
habitants of  the  town,  let  us  see  what  was  the  gen- 
eral appearance  of  the  town  in  those  earlj  days. 
Though  there  is  no  account  of  the  first  year  or  two,  it 
is  easy  to  imagine  what  it  must  have  been  during  that 
time.  The  first  settlement  was  upon  the  bay  which 
lies  to  the  south  of  Boston  neck,  and  which  was  long 
known  as  Roxbury  Bay. 

No  record  is  preserved  of  the  first  laying  out  of  the 
town.  There  probably  was  no  allotment  of  lands  to 
the  very  first  comers.  After  that,  the  lands  were  sur- 
veyed and  set  out  regularly. 

In  1633,  three  years  after  the  first  arrival,  we  have 
this  description  of  the  town  ; 

"  A  mile  from  this  town,  (Dorchester)  lieth  Roxberry.  which  is 
"a  fair  and  handsome  counlry-lown,  the  inhabitants  of  it  being 
"all  very  rich.  This  town  lieth  upon  the  main,  so  that  it  is  well 
'•wooded  and  watered,  having  a  clear  and  fresh  brook  running 
"  through  the  town,  up  which,  although  there  come  no  alewives, 
•'  yet  there  is  great  store  of  smelts  and  therefore  it  is  called 
"  Smelt  Brook.  A  quarter  of  a  mile  to  the  north  side  of  the 
"  town  is  another  river,  called  Stony  Kiver;  upon  which  is  built  a 
"  water  mill.  Here  is  good  ground  for  corn  and  meadow  for  cat- 
"  tie.  Up  westward  from  the  town  it  is  something  rocky; 
"whence  it  hath   the  name  of  Roxberry.     The  inhabitants  have 

18 


^S8  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  L 

"fair  houses,  store  of  cattle,  impaled  corn-fields,  and  fruitful  gar- 
"  dens.  Here  is  no  harbor  for  ships,  because  the  town  is  seated 
"in  the  bottom  of  a  shallow  bay,  which  is  made  by  the  neck  of 
"land  on  which  Boston  is  built;  so  that  they  can  transport  all 
"their  goods  from  the  ships  in  boats  from  Boston,  which  is  the 
"  nearest  harbor." 

The  first  buildings  were  probably  upon  what  was 
then  called  and  is  still  known  as  the  Towne  Streete, 
or  Roxburj  Street.  It  was  near  a  good  stream  of 
water.  The  neck,  with  a  bay  on  each  side,  was  a 
lavorable  position  lor  defence. 

The  dwellings  gradually  extended  to  tlie  point; 
across  the  brook,  and  towards  Dorchester,  and  up  in 
the  direction  of  Warren  and  Walnut  streets;  and 
round,  l)y  the  old  road  over  the  hill  by  the  first  church, 
to  the  mill  on  Stony  river,  and  on  to  Muddy  river; 
and  further  up  into  the  centre  of  the  town,  towards 
Dedham,  and  into  the  country  between  Dorchester 
and  Dedham  roads.  The  other  streets,  then  most 
frequented,  such  as  the  road  to  Gamblin's  End,  Que- 
necticot  lane,  that  to  the  mill  at  the  great  pond,  have 
now  become  quite  retired.  Some,  like  that  from  the 
Plain  towards  Brookline,  West  of  the  great  hill, 
have  long  been  closed. 

In  those  days  the  highways  were  let  for  pasturage, 
by  the  year.  For  many  years,  a  point  on  the  street 
was  known  as  "Boston  Gates."  The  way  "leading 
to  the  landing  place,"  was  fenced  across  to  keep  in 
the  cattle.  A  pair  of  bars  stood  at  the  entrance  of 
the  way  to  the  "  Calves  Pasture,"  which  is  now  a 
great  highway  towards  Dorchester,  and  also  the  road 
leading  to  Bare  marsh,  and  Rocky  swamp.  Indeed, 
1  believe  that  was  the  case  with  all  the  roads  in  town. 


Part  l."]  history  of  roxbury.  139 

The  town  used  to  fix  tlie  rent  by  vote  at  the  annual 
town  meeting,  and  the  constables  collected  it. 

In  1635,  a  law  was  passed  that  no  person  should 
live  bejond  half  a  mile  from  the  meeting  house. 

The  following  petition,  which  was  made  before 
1643,  indicates  that  most  were  within  that  distance, 
which  was  proper  for  defence. 

The  humble  petition  of  some  of  ye  inhabitants  of  Roxbury,  to 
this  honored  Court. 
Whereas,  it  has  pleased  this  honord  court  to  make  a  whole- 
some law  for  this  coiiiury,  that  none  should  build  above  half  a 
mile  from  ye  meelinq  house,  and  we  partly  out  of  ye  necessity 
of  the  situation  of  our  town,  wh  is  so  narrow,  and  inlarged  but 
one  way.  and  partly  out  of  ignorance  of  ye  law,  have  builded 
somewhat  farder  than  is  by  this  law  allowd,  among  such  neigh- 
bors as  were  to  be  built  before  this  law  was  maide,  we  doe  hum- 
bly petition  ye  favor  of  this  honord  court  that  sd  action  might  not 
be  offensive,  but  yt  wee  might  have  allowans  to  continue  the  sd 
habitations,  wh  we  cannot  possibly  alter  without  removing  from 
ye  town,  there  being  noe  place  neare  ye  meeting  howse  to  re- 
ceive us.  And  thus  entreating  your  favor,  we  leave  you  to  the 
guiJans  of  the  blessed  God,  and  rest  Your  humble  petitioners, 
Ralph  Jasper  Gun, 

Gary  Robert  Seaver, 

Abraham  How, 
John  Tatman. 
Considering  ye  necessity  of  the  request  of  these  brethren,  we 
who  have  the  <li>poseing  of  the  towne  aflfairs  doe  joyne  wh  them 
to  make  this  humble  request  to  this  honord  court. 

Thomas  Lambe, 
Joseph  Weld, 
John  Johnson, 
William  Perkins, 
John  Stow. 

No  order  appears  on  this  petition.  It  is  not  known 
when  the  law  was  repealed,  or  that  it  ever  was.     It 


140  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURT.  [pART  I. 

is  certain  that,  within  a  very  few  years,  there  were 
many  who  lived  more  than  the  prescribed  distance 
from  the  church. 

From  the  beginning,  the  chief  roads  in  the  town 
seem  to  have  been  regidarly  laid  out,  though  very 
many  of  the  highways  in  the  town  were  ways  of  ne- 
cessity, and  formed  as  convenience  required. 

In  1G52,  the  five  men  with  a  committee  of  three 
more  were  appointed  for  setting  and  staking  out  high- 
ways, with  full  powers  to  settle  all  matters  concern- 
ing them. 

In  1656,  "  the  same  day  for  stakeing  out  of  all  the 
"  hiewayes,  in  tovvne,  there  was  a  committee  chosen 
"  and  fully  impowered  by  the  same,  to  sc'ttle  matters, 
♦'  concerning  all  hiewayes,  according  to  the  towns  act 
'''•when  the  land  was  laid  oiit.^^ 

1658.  Griffin  Crafts  had  "  leave  to  set  up  a  gate 
on  Muddy  River  lane  to  keepe  off  the  presse  of  cattle." 

From  1650  to  1662,  several  cases  show  that  not 
only  the  breadth  and  direction,  but  even  the  very  ex- 
istence of  some  of  the  highways  had  become  ques- 
tionable. 

By  a  town  law,  each  man  was  entitled  to  a  high- 
way to  his  own  house. 

In  1661,  the  town  let  the  "feede  of  the  lane  to 
the  landing  place  to  Robert  Pierrepoynt,  for  fewer 
shillings  per  annum,  provided  none  of  the  inhabitants 
are  to  be  prohibired  to  lett  their  cattle  feede  as  they 
goe  to  and  fro  for  clay,  or  ujion  other  just  occasions, 
they  feeding  only  in  the  lane,  and  whilst  they  are 
there  necessarily  employed,  and  in  the  cart,  and  not 
otherwise." 


Part  I.]  msTonr  of  RoxBURr.  lU 

The  town  passed  various  acts  to  liave  the  hi«h 
ways  examined,  but  without  efifect  till  in  1663,  it  ap- 
pointed five  men,  and  "ibr  their  encouragement" 
gave  them  four  shillings  a  man  for  this  service,  and 
laid  them  under  a  penalty  of  two  pounds  ten  shillings 
if  they  did  not  finish  the  work  by  the  first  of  January 
next.  Accordingly  a  survey  was  had,  and  report  at 
length  was  made  that  year,  which  is  the  one  that  is 
to  be  examined  concerning  the  highways  in  existence 
at  that  time. 

Amongst  the  roads  four  rods  wide,  were  that  to 
Muddy  River,  (Washington  street  ;)  Quenecticote 
Lane,  (Perkins  street ;)  the  road  from  Heath's  Lane 
towards  Dedliam,  (Centre  street ;)  the  road  from 
John  Stebbin's  orchard,  by  Edward  Bugby's,  to  the 
end  of  the  great  lots  next  Gamblin's  End,  and  so  to 
Rocky  Swamp;  the  way  to  the  great  lots  and  fresh 
meadow,  (Walnut  street ;)  the  way  to  Brantry, 
(Warren  street ;)  from  Hugburne's  Corner  to  Boston, 
and  that  from  Eliot's  Corner  to  Dorchester  Brook, 
(Dudley  street  and  Eustis  street.) 

Those  that  were  two  rods,  were  that  from  Pier- 
pont's  to  the  landing  place,  (Parker  street.  East  of 
Brookline  road  ;)  that  from  Mrs.  Remington's,  back 
of  Ruggies  and  Eliot,  to  Dedham  Highway,  (Parker 
street,)  over  the  Hill ;  that  by  Peleg  Heath's  into 
Dedham  highway,  by  Jacob  NewelFs  ;  that  from  El- 
der Heath's  by  Stony  River,  to  Gamblin's  End, 
(School  street ;)  that  from  Gamblin's  End  to  the 
Pond  lots,  (Boylston  street ;)  from  John  Leavin's 
heirs  to  Dead  Swamp  ;  from  the  way  that  leads  from 
the   Boston   road   by  the    burying   place  to   the   road 


142  HISTORY    OF    ROXBURY.  [PaRT  I. 

from  Roxbury  to  Dorchester,  (Eustis  street ;)  from 
the  Training  Place,  next  Dorchester  road,  down  to 
the  Salt  Panns,  and  that  landing  place,  (Davis  st.  ;) 
from  Giles  Payson's  to  Robert  William's  and  into 
Brantry  Way ;  from  Mr.  Adam's  to  the  mills  ;  and 
the  way  to  Baker's  Mill ;  and  the  way  to  Gravelly 
Point,  (Rnggles  street.) 

It  is  needless  to  speak  of  the  religious  character  of 
the  people.  As  for  the  education  of  the  town,  we 
have  already  seen  that  ample  provision  was  made  for 
it.  Most  of  the  people  were  of  good,  and  some  of 
them  of  eminent  families  and  of  considerable  cultiva- 
tion. Roxbury  sent  many  to  Harvard  College. — 
Though  the  space  of  time  does  not  seem  very  long 
that  has  elapsed,  one  is  surprised,  in  the  old  lists,  to 
find  how  few  books  they  had.  And  yet,  education 
may  have  been  as  well  attained,  for  comparison  of  our 
times  with  those  of  the  ancients,  might  almost  lead 
to  the  conclusion  that  sound  learning  decreased  with 
the  multiplicity  of  books.  Thus  Thomas  Dudley, 
who  was  a  vast  reader,  (heluo  librorum)  had  in  his 
study  less  than  fifty  volumes.  Amongst  them  were 
Livius,  Camdeni  Annales,  Abstract  of  the  Penal 
Statutes,  Peirce  Plowman,  Apology  of  the  Prince  of 
Orange,  Cotton's  bloody  tenets  washed.  Cotton's 
holynesse  of  Church  members  and  Commentary  on 
the  Commandments,  &lc. 

Daniel  Weld,  a  "schollar,"  had  in  Bibles  and  other 
Divinity  Books,  £4. 

It  has  already  been  remarked  that  the  people  were 
wealthy,  and  some  account  has  been  given  of  various 
estates.     It  must  be   borne  in   mind,  however,  that 


Part  I.]  HiSTonr   or  roxburv.  1  i^ 

estimates  are  not  to  be  made  by  the  standard  of  the 
present  day.  As  late  as  '0678,  in  New  York,  uliich 
then  had  less  than  three  hundred  and  hfiy  liouses,  a 
mercliant  worth  £1000  or  £500,  was  deemed  a  good 
substantial  merchant,  and  a  planter  worth  half  that 
sum,  was  accounted  rich."  Judged  by  the  mark  of 
that  day,  lloxbury  had  a  great  number  of  very  opu- 
lent citizens. 

In  165V,  the  town  is  thus  described  :  "situated  be- 
"  tw(M^n  Boston  and  Dorchester,  being  well  watered 
'•  with  coole  and  pleasant  Springs  issuing  forth  the 
"  Rocky-hills,  and  with  small  Freshets,  watering  the 
"  V allies  of  this  fertill  Towne,  whose  forme  is  some- 
'•what  like  a  wedge  double  pointed,  entering  be- 
"  tweene  the  two  foure  named  Townes,  filled  with  a 
"laborious  people,  whose  labours  the  Lord  hath  so 
"  blest,  that,  in  the  roome  of  dismall  swamps  and 
"  tearing  bushes,  they  have  very  goodly  Fruit-trees, 
"fruitfull  fields  and  gardens,  their  Heard  of  Cows, 
"Oxen  and  other  young  Cattell  of  that  kind  about 
"350  and  dwelling  houses  near  upon  120.  Then- 
"  Streetes  are  large,  and  some  fayre  howses,  yet  have 
<'  they  built  their  Howse  for  Church-assembly  desti- 
"  tute  and  unbeautified  with  other  buildings.  The 
"church  of  Christ  is  here  increased  to  about  120 
"  persons,"  &:c. 

The  emigration  to  New  England  ceased  almost 
entirely  about  1640.  Though  a  few  came  over  from 
the  old  countries  after  that  time,  yet  most  of  the  new 
settlers  in  Roxbury,  came  from  other  parts  of  this 
country. 


14 i  nisTORr  ok  roxburt.  Part  I.] 

Some  of  ihe  original  residents  removed  to  other 
places,  as  did  many  of  their  descendants.  Several 
towns  were  founded  by  Roxbury  citizens. 

Mann,  in  his  Annals  of  Dedham,  states  that  "the 
"  original  founders  of  Dedham  came  from  Watertown 
"and  Roxbury,"  in  1635. 

In  1636,  the  time  of  the  emigration  to  the  Con- 
necticut, a  colony  "from  Roxbury  (the  principal  of 
"  whom  were  Mr.  William  Pynchon,  and  one  John 
"  Bur,  a  carpenter.)  settled,  at  least  laid  the  founda- 
"  tion  of  a  plantation,  called  by  the  Indians,  Aga- 
"  warn,  but  named  by  the  English  afterwards  Spring- 
"  field,  in  rembrance  of  Mr.  Pynchon,  who  had  his 
"  mansion  house  at  a  town  of  that  name,  near 
"Chelmsford,  in  Essex."  Many  went  to  various 
towns  in  Connecticut  and  Western  Massachusetts, 
where  there  are  many  of  their  descendants. 

"In  1667,  liberty  was  granted  for  erecting  a  new 
plantation  or  township,  at  a  place  about  thirty  or 
forty  miles  West  from  Roxbury  called  Mendon,  and 
peopled  by  some  that  removed  from  thence.  There 
was  another  like  grant  the  same  year  at  Brookfield,  a 
commodious  place  for  entertainment  of  travellers,  be- 
twixt the  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut,  situate 
about  twenty-five  miles  from  Springfield,  towards 
Boston;  the  liberty  had  been  granted  before  in  1660, 
but  it  was  renewed  this  year,  six  or  seven  families 
being  settled  there,  the  grantees  having  forfeited 
their  first  grant."  "These  two  last  named  villages 
were  erected  in  an  unhappy  hour,  for  before  ten  years 
were  expired,  they  were  utterly  ruined  and  destroyed 


Part  1.]  history  of  roxbury.  145 

by  the  Indians,  and  not  one  stick  left  standing  of  any 
building  erected  there." 

In  Niles'  history  ol  the  Indian  and  French  wars, 
it  is  said  "Deserted  Mendon  was  this  same  winter 
(1674)  laid  in  ashes." 

In  1683,  the  town  accepted  the  grant,  which  was 
made  to  them  that  year,  of  a  tract  seven  miles  square, 
at  Quatosset,  in  the  country  of  the  Nipmucks.  This 
was,  soon  after,  called  New  Roxbury,  and  is  now  the 
Town  of  Woodstock,  in  the  North-east  part  of  the 
State  of  Connecticut,  near  Dudley,  in  Massachusetts. 
Some  of  the  localities  in  Woodstock  still  bear  the  old 
names  of  places  in  Roxbury.  This  township  was 
bounded  by  Woodward  and  Gaffeny's  line,  and  was 
afterwards  found  to  be  in  Connecticut. 

The  first  settlers  of  Woodstock  were,  as  has  been 
remarked,  all  from  Roxbury,  and  the  records  of  the 
foundation,  settlement,  titles,  division,  and  the  first 
settlers  of  the  place  are  preserved,  very  full  and  mi- 
nute, in  Roxbury.  But  the  history  cannot  be  given 
here. 

In  1668,  Worcester  was  granted  to  Daniel  Gookin 
and  others. 

Oxford,  then  "  a  tract  eight  miles  square  in  the 
Nipmug  country,"  was  granted  to  Joseph  Dudley  and 
others  in  1682. 

Woodstock  was  named  from  "  its  nearness  to  Ox- 
"  ford,  for  the  sake  of  queen  Elizabeth,  and  the  nota- 
"  ble  meetings  that  have  been  held  at  the  place  bear- 
"  ing  that  name  in  England." 

In  1686,  several  native  Indians  conveyed  to  Joshua 
Lamb,  Nathaniel  Paige,  Andrew  Gardner,  Benjamin 
19 


146  HISTORY    Of    ROXBURT.  PaRT  I.] 

Gamblin,  John  Curtis,  Richard  Draper,  Samuel  Rug- 
gles  and  Ralph  Bradish,  "  a  tract  of  land  eight  miles 
square  near  the  English  town  of  Wooster."  This  is 
the  present  town  of  Hardwicke.  The  original  deed  is 
still  preserved  in  Roxbury.     The  price  paid  was  £20. 

Dudley,  in  this  state,  was  granted  to  and  named 
for  governor  Joseph  Dudley.  He  got  also  the  Indian 
title. 

Ancient  plans,  letters  from  these  towns,  deeds,  &c. 
are  found  in  Roxbury. 

Besides  those  towns  which  were  founded  and  set- 
tled by  Roxbury,  others  had  some  of  their  chief  set- 
tlers from  Roxbury ;  such  as  Scituate,  Braintree, 
Newbury,  and  several  others  in  Massachusetts  and 
Connecticut. 

Thus  Roxbury  was  not  only  abundantly  prosperous 
herself,  but  was  the  worthy  parent  of  a  very  respec- 
table and  somewhat  numerous  progeny,  of  towns. 


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